Cody Rhodes to drop the American Nightmare gimmick after WWE SummerSlam? Exploring potential new direction

Cody Rhodes has been in the pro wrestling business for quite a while now, 18 years to be exact. However, he truly became a household name after he dyed his hair blonde and adopted the character of The American Nightmare. An iconic nickname, Rhodes continues to pay homage to his father, Dusty Rhodes, also known as The American Dream. But could a gimmick change be around the corner? Could he be thinking of dropping The American Nightmare character after SummerSlam?

For those fans who don't want to see this happen, worry not; the answer to this question is 'No'. Recently, Cody Rhodes appeared in Tokyo, Japan, for WWE's SuperShow Summer Tour. There, he was spotted in an outfit that can only be described as legendary, and it was not his usual get-up. He was seen wearing a robe that his Hall of Famer father once wore, an iconic red robe, and a hat to boot.

This sparked the interest of the WWE Universe, as they wondered if he could be transitioning from the Nightmare to the Dream. That is unlikely to be the case, and it was probably just something special he decided to do for the fans in Tokyo. Dusty Rhodes once wowed plenty of them with his moves back in the day. Once again, it was a nice little way for Cody Rhodes to pay homage to his late great-father.

That said, the WWE Universe wouldn't be averse to seeing him don the same attire on SmackDown, or perhaps at a major PLE. So, everyone better keep their eyes peeled for it if it happens.

---

Cody Rhodes has a huge grudge to settle with one of WWE's most beloved superstars

Cody Rhodes has had plenty of epic rivalries in his 18-year career. Whether it's on the Independent scene, in New Japan, in AEW, or WWE, the list of incredible opponents he's faced is out of this world. But there is one match The American Nightmare wants, as he hopes to settle a huge grudge with one of WWE's most beloved stars, R-Truth.

Now, this might come as a surprise to many, but the Undisputed WWE Champion has made a vow not to retire until he has defeated Truth. The reason for this is simple, and as Rhodes had Truth explain on his podcast, What Do You Wanna Talk About? It's simply because the latter has beaten him in every gimmick he has ever had. To be exact, Truth has beaten Cody 42 times, and now The American Nightmare wants to collect his pound of flesh.

The beef is real, even if it is very one-sided. But, as Cody acknowledged later on in the episode, it will be a while before he can have his revenge, seeing as they're both babyfaces. That said, you can never say never in this business.