Cody Rhodes has made no secret of wanting to continue adding to his WWE legacy, even after reaching heights that once seemed far away. Yet when Rhodes looked at the accomplishments still available to him in WWE, he identified two particularly notable omissions: the Money in the Bank contract and the United States Championship.
Rhodes has an opportunity to address one of those absences in this year’s Money in the Bank match. The other, however, appears much less likely in his own view. Speaking during an appearance on Flagrant, Rhodes said he does not expect the United States Championship to be part of his future.
“I haven’t won Money In The Bank. I think the only other title on the board for WWE is the United States title, which I don’t think will probably ever happen in my career. But those are the things.”
It is a striking admission from a wrestler whose career has been defined by persistence, reinvention and an ability to turn previously uncertain ambitions into tangible milestones. Rhodes did not present the United States Championship as an unimportant prize. On the contrary, he placed it among the few clear accomplishments he has not yet claimed. Still, his comments suggest he sees the timing, circumstances or direction of his WWE run as making a challenge for that championship improbable.
For more background on this topic, read Je’Von Evans Details Why Indie Promos Were a Challenge Before WWE Growth.
Two major items remain on Rhodes’ list
The Money in the Bank contract is the more immediate objective. The annual ladder match gives its winner a championship opportunity that can be used at a time of their choosing, creating one of WWE’s most influential advantages. Winning it would add a distinctive achievement to Rhodes’ résumé and potentially place him in position to shape the title picture on his own terms.
Rhodes’ framing of the briefcase as unfinished business is notable because Money in the Bank is not simply another championship accolade. It is a match victory, a contract and a storyline weapon all at once. For a performer who has spent much of his career pursuing the biggest possible stakes, holding the briefcase would represent both a new distinction and a powerful strategic position.
The United States Championship presents a different kind of remaining target. It is one of WWE’s longstanding singles titles and has historically been associated with wrestlers seeking to establish themselves, elevate their standing or prove their versatility across a variety of opponents. Rhodes’ comment does not rule out a future pursuit absolutely; he said he did not think it would “probably” happen. But the wording leaves little doubt that he does not view it as a likely destination.
That uncertainty creates an unusual wrinkle. In wrestling, a title that has eluded a prominent figure can become an obvious future story, especially when the performer acknowledges it publicly. Rhodes did not issue a challenge, name a champion or lay out a plan to chase the title. Instead, he spoke about the possibility almost as a career question mark—one that may remain unanswered despite its place on his list of accomplishments.
Rhodes still wants to pursue the unexpected
While identifying Money in the Bank and the United States Championship as recognizable items left to achieve, Rhodes also emphasized that his ambitions are not limited to checking off familiar boxes. He said the most meaningful future goals may be the ones audiences have not yet anticipated.
“I think the things that haven’t been done, not to sound grand or vague or both, are things we haven’t seen coming yet.”
That perspective fits the broader arc of Rhodes’ career. His path has often involved pursuing goals that carried a degree of uncertainty, then trying to make the journey itself matter as much as the final result. His latest comments indicate that he is still looking beyond conventional milestones, even as he remains aware of the ones that are plainly absent from his WWE record.
There is also an important distinction in how Rhodes spoke about the two remaining achievements. Money in the Bank is a live possibility because he has a chance to win the match this year. The United States Championship was discussed more as a theoretical opportunity that he is not convinced will arrive. That contrast gives the ladder match added significance: it is not merely another premium WWE attraction for Rhodes, but one of the limited established accomplishments he has openly identified as unfinished.
The United States Championship question
Rhodes’ belief that he may never win the United States Championship naturally invites questions about what makes that scenario less likely. He did not provide a detailed explanation during the interview, and there is no indication that he has ruled himself out of contention for the title. He simply expressed doubt that it would happen during his career.
In WWE, title opportunities can be shaped by changing divisions, evolving rivalries and the priorities surrounding a particular performer. Rhodes’ standing has frequently put him in conversations involving WWE’s biggest matches and broadest stories. That does not make a United States Championship pursuit impossible, but it may help explain why Rhodes sees that title as less attainable than the Money in the Bank briefcase.
At the same time, the championship’s absence is now an undeniable part of his stated career checklist. Whether WWE eventually turns that fact into a storyline is unknown. Rhodes’ words could remain a simple reflection on the titles and honors he has yet to collect. They could also become relevant if circumstances place him across the ring from the United States Champion at some point down the line.
For now, though, Rhodes was not making a promise. He was acknowledging a possibility he does not expect to see fulfilled. That is different from declaring the title beneath him or dismissing its value. His comments instead conveyed that the championship matters precisely because it is one of the few things still out of reach.
Money in the Bank offers a clearer path
The upcoming Money in the Bank match gives Rhodes a direct opportunity to change that conversation. A victory would eliminate one of the two accomplishments he mentioned and provide a major new chapter in his WWE story. It would also leave the United States Championship as an even more conspicuous remaining omission, should Rhodes continue to view it as an unlikely goal.
Of course, Rhodes’ larger point was that careers are not always defined by lists alone. The most memorable next step may not be a title he has already identified or a match concept WWE fans already understand. His reference to things “we haven’t seen coming yet” suggests he remains motivated by the possibility of creating new moments rather than merely completing a collection of established accolades.
That outlook is particularly fitting for a performer whose journey has repeatedly been shaped by long-term ambition. Rhodes knows that WWE plans can change and that opportunities can emerge in unexpected ways. He also knows that some accomplishments remain elusive even for wrestlers who have reached the top of the industry.
For the moment, Money in the Bank is the concrete chance in front of him. The United States Championship is the more uncertain item on the board. Rhodes may never capture it, as he suggested, but by openly naming it as one of his remaining goals, he has ensured that the question will follow his career: will The American Nightmare eventually add the United States title to his accomplishments, or will it remain the one WWE championship that got away?
Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.