Trick Williams has responded to Cody Rhodes’ recent comments about the one WWE championship he does not expect to win during his career.

Rhodes discussed his remaining goals in WWE during an appearance on the Flagrant podcast. While reflecting on the major accomplishments still left unchecked, Rhodes named the Money in the Bank briefcase and the United States Championship as the notable items on his list. He also cast doubt on the likelihood of ever holding the United States Title.

“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.”

Williams, the current United States Champion, quickly saw an opening to address Rhodes’ comments. In a social-media response, Williams offered a short but pointed message: “At least no time soon.”

For more background on this topic, read Cody Rhodes Teases American Nightmare Logo Change Honoring Late Dog Pharaoh.

The reply keeps the attention firmly on the champion and his title, while also leaving room for the possibility that Rhodes could someday challenge for the championship. For now, though, Williams’ message is clear: the United States Championship is not an available career box for Rhodes to check while Williams is holding it.

Trick Williams Is Back on Top of the United States Division

Williams recently regained the United States Championship from Baron Corbin at Sunday Night’s Main Event. That result put the title back around Williams’ waist and immediately re-established him as a central figure in the championship picture.

His response to Rhodes comes at a useful time for the champion. Rhodes is one of WWE’s most recognizable stars, and even a brief comment about the United States Title can create conversation around the belt. Williams did not need a lengthy statement to make his position known. By saying “at least no time soon,” he treated Rhodes’ uncertainty as a challenge to be answered rather than a simple reflection on career accomplishments.

There is also a notable distinction in the way both men approached the championship. Rhodes spoke about it from the perspective of a wrestler reviewing the major milestones that have eluded him. Williams spoke as the active champion whose job is to make sure those milestones remain out of reach for anyone pursuing his title. The exchange is brief, but it gives the United States Championship an added layer of relevance at a moment when its holder has only recently reclaimed it.

Williams’ framing is especially effective because he did not completely shut the door. He did not claim Rhodes could never become United States Champion. Instead, he emphasized the present tense. As long as Williams is champion, Rhodes’ possible pursuit is not something Williams intends to make easy.

Cody Rhodes Identifies Two Remaining WWE Goals

Rhodes’ comments placed the United States Championship beside Money in the Bank as one of the few major WWE accomplishments he has not won. Money in the Bank, of course, presents a very different type of opportunity from a conventional title pursuit. Winning the ladder match provides the briefcase and the chance to challenge for a championship at a time of the winner’s choosing.

The United States Championship is a more direct objective. It requires Rhodes to enter the title picture, earn or receive a championship opportunity, and defeat the reigning champion. At the moment, that reigning champion is Williams, who has made it known that he is not interested in helping Rhodes add the title to his résumé.

Rhodes did not announce a United States Championship pursuit during the podcast appearance, nor did he name Williams directly in the quoted remarks. His point was centered on the possibility that the championship may simply never be part of his career record. Nevertheless, Williams interpreted the statement through the lens of the current title landscape. That is understandable: when a wrestler publicly says the United States Title remains unwon, the champion holding that title is naturally part of the conversation.

The exchange does not confirm a match between Rhodes and Williams. It does, however, establish a simple and credible point of tension if WWE ever places them in the same championship conversation. Rhodes has acknowledged the title as an achievement he lacks. Williams has replied that, at least for the foreseeable future, he intends to keep it that way.

Money in the Bank Remains an Immediate Focus for Williams

Williams is also scheduled to compete in the Men’s Money in the Bank ladder match. That appearance gives the United States Champion an opportunity to chase another major prize while carrying championship responsibilities of his own.

The Money in the Bank match has clear value for any participant because of what the briefcase represents. For Williams, a victory would add another major accomplishment to his current status as United States Champion. It would also give him a guaranteed championship opportunity down the line, separate from his present reign.

That upcoming ladder match creates an interesting contrast with Rhodes’ own comments. Rhodes identified Money in the Bank as something he has not won. Williams, meanwhile, is already scheduled to compete for that very prize while holding the United States Championship Rhodes discussed. The situation gives Williams two high-profile points to emphasize: he is protecting a championship Rhodes has never held, and he is entering a match for another accomplishment Rhodes named as unfinished business.

Nothing about Williams’ social-media response confirms that Rhodes will be involved in the Money in the Bank match or the United States Title picture. Still, the champion’s schedule ensures that he will remain visible in WWE’s larger championship landscape. A title holder entering a ladder match for the briefcase is in a position to draw attention from multiple directions, including wrestlers who may see the United States Championship as an important target.

A Short Response With a Clear Message

Williams has often projected confidence, and his answer to Rhodes fits that approach. The message did not require an extended explanation. Its force came from its brevity.

“At least no time soon” acknowledges Rhodes’ standing without conceding anything. It recognizes that careers can change and title paths can shift, but it insists that the present belongs to Williams. As the man who recently defeated Baron Corbin to regain the championship, Williams has every reason to frame himself as the obstacle in front of Rhodes’ remaining goal.

For Rhodes, the podcast comment was a candid assessment of the titles and accolades he still has not collected. For Williams, it became an opportunity to underline the value of the championship he currently possesses. That is how titleholders are expected to respond when a prominent name brings their championship into a public conversation: by reminding everyone who holds it now.

The United States Championship has therefore gained a potentially intriguing thread without any match being announced. Rhodes’ remarks raise the question of whether he will ever actively pursue the title. Williams’ response answers another question immediately: if that pursuit happens during Williams’ reign, the champion will be ready to make Rhodes wait.

What Comes Next

Williams’ immediate focus includes the Men’s Money in the Bank ladder match, but he remains the United States Champion after regaining the title from Corbin at Sunday Night’s Main Event. Any future United States Championship discussion will begin with Williams and his intention to keep the belt.

Rhodes has not stated that he is seeking a match with Williams, and there is no announced United States Championship bout stemming from their exchange. The significance of the moment lies in the possibility it creates. Rhodes has identified the United States Title as a major WWE prize missing from his career. Williams has positioned himself as the man prepared to prevent that omission from changing anytime soon.

Until WWE brings the two men closer together on screen, Williams’ response stands as a confident declaration from a champion protecting his territory. Rhodes may still have the United States Championship on his list of unrealized goals, but Williams has made sure there is no confusion about who controls the path to it right now.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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.