WWE Hall of Famer JBL refutes claims of 'burying' Cody Rhodes post-WrestleMania 41

WWE Hall of Famer John Bradshaw Layfield, popularly known as JBL, has denied and refuted all the speculations suggesting that Cody Rhodes is being buried by WWE, following his WrestleMania 41 bout. The American Nightmare was last seen in the much-anticipated bout of WWE Undisputed Championship against John Cena, accompanied by U.S rapper Travis Scott.

Following his loss at WrestleMania in 2025, Rhodes has not appeared in any of the matches in WWE. He was supposed to appear on the May 16th edition of SmackDown for the first time post-WrestleMania bout. However, the wrestler was absent from the event, which made the fans furious.

This led to the rise in speculations after Rhodes' absence from television and SmackDown following WrestleMania, leading some fans and commentators to theorize that WWE, under Triple H's creative direction, was "burying" Rhodes, a term used in wrestling to describe that the company is deliberately undermining a wrestler's status.

Owing to this situation, JBL has shared its opinion and refuted these claims made by fans. Here's what the Hall of Famer said.

JBL turns down speculation of Cody Rhodes' appearance post-WrestleMania 41

WWE Hall of Famer JBL has turned down all the claims and speculations that have been going around in the wrestling industry and among the fans about WWE’s attempt to ‘bury’ Cody Rhodes, following his loss at the much-hyped bout at WrestleMania against The Cenation Leader.

In a recent episode of the "Something to Wrestle With" podcast, the WWE Hall of Famer dismissed rumors suggesting that WWE is intentionally side-lining Cody Rhodes following his loss to John Cena at WrestleMania 41.




JBL responded to these claims in a sarcastic tone, “Oh my god, yeah, yeah. I remember back, in the day, as they say, when we’re burying Daniel Bryan — he was on five episodes every single Monday night, Raw and SmackDown. Boy, that’s burying him. I wish you would bury me, too.”

He also emphasized that heavyweight champions like Cody Rhodes need some time to take a break before they join the business again. The Hall of Famer further said, “Cody been on everything. You got to cycle him in and out… for their longevity,” JBL explained. “Cody’s going to be fine. He spearheaded the most profitable era in wrestling history.”



JBL further highlighted Rhodes' significance to WWE's current success, stating, "Cody’s going to be fine. He spearheaded the most profitable era in wrestling history. They’re not bury nothing for that cash cow." (Source: PWMania)

WWE has not provided an official explanation for Rhodes' absence from SmackDown. However, reports suggest that Rhodes had been on a break, spending time with his family at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Florida earlier in the week. This personal time off could have contributed to his unavailability for the Greensboro event.

Also Read: Will Cody Rhodes appear at the WWE Money In The Bank event after WrestleMania 41?

Sources say that fans might have missed his glimpse at the recently held SmackDown in Greensboro but Cody Rhodes might appear at the Money in the Bank PLE on June 7. Though the news has not been confirmed but his return appears imminent as WWE continues to use his image in promotional materials for the event.

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