One of the most enthralling moments at the recent WWE Survivor Series was the return of Randy Orton and CM Punk. While Orton helped Team Rhodes defeat the Bloodline, Punk was seen in the arena as the event came to an end. Following his return CM Punk broke the internet with his clip going viral. However, on the very same day, Punk’s former AEW colleague also beat him at the numbers game in his very own hometown.
How did Cody Rhodes beat CM Punk?
The latest Premium Live Event by WWE, Survivor Series WarGames was held in the “Second City Saint’s” hometown, Chicago, Illinois. While the anticipation for the event was at an all-time high, Rhodes was able to benefit from it. There have been whispers in the company that Cody Rhodes happened to have the highest merchandise sale at an event in the history of the Stamford-based promotion.
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When Fightful reached out to confirm the news, the sports entertainment behemoth neither confirmed nor denied the claims. The 2023 Survivor Series was a huge success in recent times for WWE. According to reports shared by WWE on Instagram, it was one of the most viewed Survivor Series of all time and the sponsorship revenue went up by 24% compared to 2022.
The venue also witnessed the highest audience presence in the history of the PLE. It also stated that CM Punk has been the most talked about WWE celebrity since then. The clip of his return on the promotion’s official Instagram handle garnered almost 29 million views in just six days. The numbers are staggering when compared to the clip that showed Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s return to WWE.
These numbers show that the two stars happened to have a significant impact on this year’s Survivor Series. While CM Punk still happens to be a free agent following his return, it looks like WWE has bigger plans for Cody Rhodes.
What’s in store for Cody Rhodes?
While the American Nightmare has told on multiple occasions that he has a story to finish, it looks like his dream might finally come true. Following the aftermath of Survivor Series, the 38-year-old star announced on the 11/27 episode of Raw that he will be the first entrant in the upcoming Royal Rumble PLE. He happened to be the first WWE star who was confirmed for the event. The announcement shows that he is still dedicated to securing the win so that he can challenge the Undisputed Universal Champion of WWE, Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40. While there is still a long way to go, there happens to be a threat looming over him.
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Shinsuke Nakamura had been calling out to a “privileged” opponent for the past several weeks. While there were many theories on who it might be, it turned out to be Cody Rhodes. In the same episode, Nakamura confronted Rhodes by spraying his signature red mist on him. On the latest episode of Raw, Rhodes cut an in-ring promo and talked about Nakamura attacking him out of the blue. It was later announced that the two will face off against each other on the upcoming episode of Raw, next week. Whether this fight will help Rhodes finish his story or will be beneficial for Nakamura is still unknown. What do you think is in store for Cody Rhodes following the massive sales of his merch?
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