Cody Rhodes Reclaims WWE Championship in Dramatic Thunderdome Invasion

Cody Rhodes' Bold Move

Cody Rhodes not only outperformed Pat McAfee to regain the Undisputed WWE Championship but also made a dramatic entrance. He stormed into the Thunderdome, wreaked havoc on McAfee's set, and left with the championship, criticizing McAfee for his title reign. On April 15, 2026, McAfee shared an update that painted a chaotic picture of the incident. He stated that surveillance footage captured the entire sequence, which began with Rhodes breaking in. The CCTV video shows Rhodes approaching the set, reclaiming the belt, and using a baseball bat to smash parts of the set.

"Ruined our set. This is from the security footage—pounding on the door, and a couple moments later he comes back, and that wound up being Cody Rhodes. That is Cody Rhodes," said Pat McAfee.

Once inside, the situation escalated quickly. McAfee recounted how Rhodes targeted the set, destroying valuable antiques and equipment before taking the title. "Cody walks right up onto the stage—full day of media in New York… he takes my bat, busts a once-in-a-lifetime collectible, hits my mic, knocks the chair down, and takes Randy Orton’s title out of here," he explained.

Randy Orton, who faced Rhodes at WrestleMania 42, and McAfee had previously attacked him during the last SmackDown episode. After Rhodes was incapacitated, Orton and McAfee seized the belt and left the venue. When McAfee made a surprise return to WWE television a few weeks ago on SmackDown, he delivered a low blow to Rhodes, allowing Orton to launch a brutal attack on The American Nightmare.

Rhodes did not wait for WrestleMania to reclaim the title, referring to McAfee's possession of it as the 'most offensive image in wrestling history.' This incident has intensified the storyline as WrestleMania 42 approaches, with Rhodes feeling that the championship has finally returned to its rightful owner.