Overlooked Feuds: Cody Rhodes vs Rey Mysterio

The tagline for WrestleMania XXVII in Atlanta, Georgia, was 'The Biggest WrestleMania Ever'. This was partly due to the highly anticipated return of The Rock, who had been absent from the company for seven years as the event's guest host. Amidst all the glitz and hype surrounding The Rock's return and his verbal sparring with John Cena, a remarkable match and a budding feud were taking shape, ultimately leading to the evolution and transformation of a performer's character.

On January 21, 2011, during a routine match on the road to the Royal Rumble, Rey Mysterio defeated Cody Rhodes after executing the 619, followed by a splash. Unfortunately, as Mysterio delivered the 619, his knee brace accidentally broke the nose of the 'Dashing One.' At this point, Cody was portrayed as a narcissist, referring to himself as 'Dashing' Cody Rhodes. With a broken nose, his confidence was about to take a sudden hit.

The following week, Todd Grisham interviewed Rhodes, who refused to reveal his face. He informed Grisham that he would require reconstructive surgery and would be forced to miss the Royal Rumble. He also claimed that he was no longer 'Dashing.' A few weeks later, Todd Grisham would interview Mysterio regarding the issue, who would clarify that it was merely an accident yet would mock Rhodes for his complaints surrounding the injury.

On the February 25th edition of SmackDown, Cody Rhodes made his long-awaited return to the ring, accompanied by none other than his father, Dusty Rhodes. The American Dream took it upon himself to apologize for his son's previous behaviour towards Rey Mysterio and demanded Cody do the same. After recovering from his surgery, Cody, sporting a clear protective face mask, eventually apologized and shook hands with Mysterio and his father. However, what followed was unexpected and shocking.

As Mysterio extended his hand to Dusty, the elder Rhodes held on for a little too long, and with a sly grin, Cody launched a tactical attack on Mysterio, beating him down mercilessly. Father and son then dragged Mysterio out of the ring and rubbed his face against the steel rampway. In a final act of disrespect, Cody ripped off Mysterio's mask and kicked him in the face. Medical personnel rushed to the scene to tend to Mysterio's injuries.

The following week, Cody Rhodes made his entrance to Rey Mysterio's music, stomping on the sacred mask and issuing a challenge for a match at WrestleMania. On the March 25th edition of SmackDown, Rhodes once again attempted to injure Mysterio, this time during his match with CM Punk. Rhodes threw Mysterio's WrestleMania opponent into the ring post, followed by a series of headbutts and stomps. He even revealed an exposed knee brace, which he used to attack Mysterio purposefully and maliciously.

As tensions reached their boiling point, the match at WrestleMania was set to be a brutal showdown. Rhodes made his entrance with a towel draped over his head, still wearing his protective face mask, which allowed him to deliver devastating headbutts. He had embraced his new persona as a hideous monster and fought with a much more aggressive approach. After some opportunistic shots with the protective mask, Rhodes hit Mysterio with the knee brace as he dove to the outside. Back in the ring, Rhodes executed the Cross-Rhodes for a stunning victory.

Cody Rhodes choking Rey Mysterio at WrestleMania 27 [WWE Network]

After securing a significant victory at WrestleMania, Rhodes carried his momentum forward by defeating Trent Barretta on the next episode of SmackDown. But it wasn't just the win that caught people's attention - Rhodes' aggressive new nature was on full display as he continued to headbutt Barretta using his protective mask. Sensing the danger, Rey Mysterio rushed to the ring to chase Rhodes away.

A rematch was scheduled for the April 22 episode of SmackDown, but Rhodes took the mic and made a bold statement before the match could begin. He claimed he wore his mask for protection, while Mysterio wore his to hide. To prove his point, Rhodes handed out brown paper bags to fans in the front row, urging them to cover their faces. Ultimately, Mysterio emerged victorious, reversing a powerbomb into a roll-up. But Rhodes was far from pleased with the outcome. He attacked Mysterio and delivered a devastating Cross-Rhodes on the outside before placing a paper bag over his opponent's head as he lay motionless on the floor.

Under a Falls Count Anywhere stipulation, the two wrestlers were booked for a rubber match at Extreme Rules. The match quickly spilled outside the ring, with the two men battling it out in the crowd. Mysterio, determined to settle the score, even exposed his knee brace and attempted a 619. This was a sign of how personal things had become, as Mysterio rarely attempted to injure an opponent as the aggressor. But it also showed continuity, calling back to what had sparked this story in the first place. In the end, Mysterio emerged again victorious, blinding Rhodes with a green mist before delivering a 619 and a splash combination for the pinfall victory.

With Rey winning the rubber match, he would be moved to Monday Night Raw in the WWE Draft, which signalled an official conclusion to their feud. Years later, Rhodes would reflect on working with Mysterio in an interview with Sports Illustrated.

“The one thing Chris Jericho and I can agree on is that there is nobody greater than Rey Mysterio. That’s someone that is really special.

There are people I give a lot of credit for helping me build my career, and they’re not always the obvious ones. Dusty and Dustin, of course they were involved, but they’re family. Rey Mysterio, I don’t even know if he remembers, but he changed my whole career."

This feud showcased Rey Mysterio’s ability to elevate his opponent while also showcasing Cody Rhodes and his continued character development leading to a truly defining moment that would ultimately shape the trajectory of his entire career.