Cody Rhodes Loses WWE Championship After Jacob Fatu Interference
Cody Rhodes lost the WWE Championship to conclude his second reign at 159 days following an outside interference from Jacob Fatu during a SmackDown match on January 9, 2026. The contest featured a standard singles match, a falls-count-anywhere no-disqualification match, and a final steel cage bout.
Cody Rhodes Responds to Fan Tribalism and Media Critiques
Addressing the topic of fan tribalism during an appearance on WrestleTalk, Rhodes clarified comments he previously directed toward professional wrestlers. The wrestler known as “The American Nightmare” took aim at how media outlets frame his remarks. “I remember saying that I was talking only about the wrestlers who hold these types of views,” Rhodes said. “Yet the way Fightful tries to cancel me every week and the way the subject was presented made it sound like I was addressing wrestling fans.”
Rhodes expressed sympathy for media producers while criticizing the consistency of online coverage. “I feel bad for the producers, because this happens every week,” he added. “Fightful simply says, ‘Oh, we need to find a headline about the fact that Cody hates… that nine out of ten of his ideas are bad.’ This show is above all an entertainment, a conversation. Their attempts to bring me down only made me, I don’t know… stronger, in a way. I say to myself: ‘All right, I’ll take it.’ But go ahead. I didn’t want to derail the discussion with my tirade. You were asking me what I thought of tribalism.”
Frequently Asked Questions About Cody Rhodes
Which show hosted the interview where Rhodes discussed fan tribalism?
Rhodes addressed the media framing and fan tribalism during an appearance on WrestleTalk.
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