Roman Reigns, the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, was able to keep his gold intact after a grueling encounter with Cody Rhodes. at WrestleMania 39. A win would have fulfilled the American Nightmare’s dream of winning the belt that had evaded his legendary father, the late Dusty Rhodes, and half-brother Goldust.

After his loss, Triple H, WWE’s Head of Creative, said The American Dream’s youngest son was set for a new chapter. While the WWE creative thought it wasn’t time for Reigns to part away with his championships yet, fans had other ideas. It showed as Cody Rhodes emerged as a champion behind the scenes.

Cody Rhodes surges ahead of Roman Reigns, tops list

One metric to gauge a pro-wrestler’s popularity amongst fans is the quantity of merchandise he or she sells. Be it Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold Steve Austin, or John Cena, they have all made promotion money by helping to sell WWE merchandise during their tenure.

Cody Rhodes has now joined the list. According to Fightful Select, the former WWE Tag Team Champion topped individual superstar sales throughout ‘Mania week.

He may not have beaten Roman Reigns inside the ring, as the script demanded, but Rhodes emerged as a true people’s champion.

Rhodes, however, is no stranger to marketing. He is among the few wrestlers who has his brand logo tattooed on him. On March 19, he announced a unique “FINISH THE STORY” edition of his American Nightmare merchandise for the WWE Universe. The design features him alongside his dog Pharaoh.

Cody, however, wasn’t this popular always. The WWE Universe appeared less than interested in his Stardust gimmick. The booking was so bad, that a disgruntled Rhodes walked out of the promotion to explore greener pastures. It took him six years and a few accolades to win back the love.

Read More: Despite Claiming to Be the Best Wrestler in the World, Cody Rhodes Was Aware of One Major Aspect of Pro Wrestling He Lacked Before WrestleMania 38 Return

The superstar also received a valuable lesson from a bona fide WWE legend a few weeks ago.

John Cena tells Cody Rhodes a major secret about wrestling fans

The WWE universe witnessed a heartwarming moment between John Cena and Cody Rhodes during an episode of RAW on March 6. As the two hugged each other, Cena appeared to say something to the then-Roman Reigns’ WrestleMania challenger.

Later, the American Nightmare said the 16x World Champion asked him to listen to the fans always. “Reward their noise, every time…” Rhodes tweeted later.

If there’s one WWE superstar who knows a thing or two about altering fans’ perceptions, it is John Cena. He went from being booed to being celebrated during his 20+ years with the WWE.

There is no doubt that Rhodes was part of some of the most heartfelt promos since then, laying the groundwork for his epic clash with Roman Reigns at the SoFi stadium.

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For now, the belts rest with Reigns, but with Rhodes’ growing popularity amongst fans, how long before The Tribal Chief gets dethroned?