.png)
Cody Rhodes received a special gift after finally becoming WWE champion at WrestleMania 40.
The American Nightmare "finished his story" and ended Roman Reigns' historic 1,316 day undisputed title reign in a stunning main event at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
Following interference from John Cena, Seth Rollins, The Rock and The Undertaker, Rhodes pinned Reigns inside the ring to kickstart a whole new era.
Advert
Rhodes had set his sights on winning the big one ever since leaving AEW, a company he helped set up, to return to WWE at WrestleMania 38 in 2022.
He established himself as a main eventer and in capturing the title, did something his dad, the late American Dream Dusty Rhodes, was never able to do.
And after the greatest win of his career, the 38-year-old was gifted the very same gold Rolex that his father once pawned so he could go to acting school.
Advert
Speaking in a post-show press conference, Rhodes said: "Something that I wanted to share - I came to the back, and Bruce Prichard and Triple H and Nick Khan handed me this, which is the same watch that my dad had that he pawned so that I could go to acting school.
"So the level of investment and responsibility that the company just put in my hands, I hope I can pay it back, pay it forward a hundred times over."
Rhodes Sr, one of the greatest of all-time, passed away in 2015 aged 69.
Advert
At a eulogy following his death, his youngest son, Cody, revealed that he had told him he would give him the watch if he became world champion.
He was unaware that the timepiece had been sold but Rhodes proudly wore it on Sunday night.
"We just wanted to give him, I don't know, something that in some way commemorated his dad being here when this happened, because he was," Triple H said on the gesture.
Advert
Rhodes has also been busy with Rolexes, gifting custom-made, matching ones to those involved in the WrestleMania 40 night one main event.
Topics: Roman Reigns, WWE, Cody Rhodes
Josh Lawless