WWE Superstar Cody Rhodes recently recalled an awkward WrestleMania moment with President Donald Trump back in 2013. On the latest edition of his podcast, “What Do You Wanna Talk About? With Cody Rhodes,” he discussed the Trump encounter with his guest and WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Bella.
At WrestleMania 29, Donald Trump was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as the celebrity honoree. Each year, there’s a specific break between matches when the new inductees get to say hello to the fans during the big WrestleMania show. A final thank you, of sorts.
As the segment was being prepared, Rhodes was under the WrestleMania stage alone after some bad news. However, he was disrupted by Donald Trump and his family walking past under the stage to get to the segment above them. Cody was staring at the floor, lost in thought. Trump tapped his foot with his own and said, “Excuse me, young man.”
GettyCody Rhodes discussed the Trump encounter with Nikki Bella on his podcast.
Why Was Cody Rhodes Hiding Under the WWE Stage?
Cody was startled and surprised by the moment. This was 2013, so Trump was just a few years away from starting his presidential campaign. But Cody wasn’t starstruck. The real reason why Cody Rhodes was shocked by the bizarre encounter with Donald Trump had more to do with the bad news he had received earlier in the night.
During the latest podcast with Nikki Bella, Cody elaborated that a match involving both of them was cut just before going live at WrestleMania. Rhodes and Bella remain skeptical about the real reason why their WrestleMania 29 match was cut by management.
Both recall feeling deflated after receiving the news, and Cody needed to get away from everyone. That’s why he was under the stage. Rhodes remembers the Donald Trump encounter as one of the earliest “I’m done” moments of his career before he left the company in 2016.
Nikki Bella wasn’t there for the Donald Trump encounter, but she was also devastated by the bad news. The WrestleMania match being cut was heavily featured on Total Divas back in 2013. The moment clearly resonated with both of them. The podcast is the first time both Nikki and Cody have spoken about their WrestleMania 29 match being cut publicly in a long time.
GettyNikki Bella on the far right, along with other WWE Divas, in a photo with President Donald Trump.
Aftermath of the Trump Incident
Cody Rhodes elaborated that the WrestleMania match being cut and the weird encounter with Donald Trump had a severe impact on his confidence that the current face of the WWE product thought about quitting the business for good 12 years ago.
“I had completely given up on entertainment, on ever making it,” Rhodes explained. “I was very pity party. Feel sorry for myself, all those things. Couldn’t get a look left or right.”
The seeds were planted for Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 29. Both he and Nikki Bella referred to that night as the “walk of shame.” Donald Trump did not seem to understand the moment he was stepping over with Cody. But all these years later, it makes for an interesting story.
A chance encounter with the future President of the United States makes the moment ironic and particularly memorable for Cody. President Donald Trump probably doesn’t remember the short encounter with Cody Rhodes from all those years ago. But Nikki Bella and Cody Rhodes bringing it back to the light definitely gave the WWE fans something to talk about.
WWE Superstar Cody Rhodes Talks Bizarre Donald Trump Encounter at WrestleMania