If you’ve spent any time watching professional wrestling over the last decade, you know the name Cody Rhodes. He’s the guy who "finished the story," the bleached-blonde hero of WWE who carries the weight of a massive legacy on his shoulders. But honestly, if you really look at the trajectory of his career—and the health of his sanity—it all tracks back to one person. Brandi Rhodes.
Most celebrity couples in the wrestling world are a bit of a mess. It's a high-pressure, "on the road 300 days a year" kind of life that usually ends in a messy divorce or a public falling out on social media. But Cody and Brandi? They’re different.
They met back in 2011 when they were both grinding it out in WWE's developmental system. Brandi was a former figure skater and news anchor who had pivoted to ring announcing under the name Eden Stiles. Cody was the young protege trying to find his footing outside his father’s shadow. They didn't hit it off immediately—Brandi actually turned him down for about a month because she wasn't sure about dating a coworker. Smart move. Eventually, a date at Waffle House (yes, really) sealed the deal.
Fast forward to 2026, and their dynamic has completely shifted the way people view "the wrestling spouse."
The AEW Exit and the "F-it" Attitude
One of the biggest misconceptions about Cody Rhodes and Brandi is that they left AEW because of some minor backstage drama or a bad contract offer. People love to speculate that Brandi was "pushed out" or that the fans' vocal dislike of her segments drove them away.
That’s not it.
The truth is much more about creative respect. Cody recently admitted on a podcast with Bill Simmons that he felt a certain "lack of respect" at the very company he helped build from the ground up. He felt like the "American Nightmare" character was being boxed in.
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Brandi was the one who pushed the button.
When things got tense, she was the one with the "F-it" attitude. She told him, basically, that if they weren't going to let him be the star he was meant to be in the house he built, they should go somewhere else. It was a massive gamble. They walked away from executive V.P. and Chief Brand Officer roles to jump back into the unknown.
Life After the Squared Circle for Brandi
While Cody is currently the face of WWE, Brandi has done something most wrestlers find impossible: she actually retired. And she stayed retired.
She hasn't wrestled since January 2022. Her last match was a win against KiLynn King on AEW Dark. Since then, she’s pivoted entirely.
- Naked Mind Yoga + Pilates: She opened her own 2,700-square-foot studio in North Atlanta.
- The Wellness Pivot: She moved away from the "wrestling wife" trope to become a certified yoga teacher.
- Corporate Legacy: She still holds the distinction of being the first Black woman to hold an executive role in a major North American wrestling promotion.
It’s refreshing. She saw the writing on the wall. Wrestling can be a revolving door of "one last match" until your knees give out, but she decided she wanted to be healthy for her kids. Speaking of kids, their family has grown.
Raising the Next Generation: Liberty and Leilani
In August 2025, the couple welcomed their second daughter, Leilani Ella. Their first, Liberty Iris, is already becoming a bit of a legend in her own right.
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There’s this great story Cody tells about taking Liberty to the Moana 2 premiere in late 2024. Liberty is only four, but she already has what wrestling people call "the carny bone." She was shy around everyone else, but the second she saw The Rock, her whole energy changed. She knew he was a big deal. She waved, gave him a hug, and basically owned the room.
Cody says it took him until his mid-20s to understand crowd psychology like that. She has it at four.
But despite the family tree, Brandi is adamant about one thing: Liberty doesn't watch wrestling. She’s never seen a match. They want her to have a normal childhood before she decides if she wants to join the family business. It’s a level of boundary-setting you don’t usually see in the Rhodes family.
The Nightmare Factory and the Business of Wrestling
Even though Brandi isn't on TV every week, she and Cody are still deeply embedded in the business side of things through The Nightmare Factory.
This isn't just a wrestling school. It’s a 43,000-square-foot facility in Georgia that they co-own with QT Marshall. It’s got everything:
- Two 18x18 rings.
- A full Olympic-sized gym.
- An on-site nutritionist (Carolyn Cuellari).
- Cryotherapy and physical therapy rooms.
They aren't just teaching people how to take a "bump." They’re teaching the "show style" that big companies like WWE and AEW actually look for. Cody still coaches there when his WWE schedule allows, and it serves as a bridge for his life after he eventually hangs up the boots.
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What Most People Get Wrong About Them
The biggest mistake fans make is thinking Cody and Brandi are a "package deal" on screen.
When Cody returned to WWE at WrestleMania 38, everyone expected Brandi to be right behind him. But she stayed back. She did some training at the WWE Performance Center in late 2022, but she realized that being a "dad" and "mom" on the road with a toddler (and now a newborn) was nearly impossible.
They made a conscious choice to keep their professional lives separate.
This is why their marriage has lasted over a decade. They aren't competing for screen time. They aren't trying to be the "it" couple on a reality show anymore (RIP Rhodes to the Top). They’ve figured out that for the American Nightmare to succeed in the ring, someone has to be the anchor at home.
Practical Lessons from the Rhodes Partnership
If you’re looking at Cody and Brandi as a blueprint for a high-performance relationship, here are the actual takeaways:
- Know when to walk away. They left AEW when it no longer served their vision, despite the financial risk.
- Diversify your identity. Brandi didn't wait for her body to break to find a new career in wellness.
- Protect the "Home" brand. Keeping their kids off TV and setting boundaries with fans at theme parks keeps their personal life from becoming a performance.
- Invest in the next generation. The Nightmare Factory is their insurance policy for the future of the industry.
Cody is still the guy main-eventing stadiums, and Brandi is the one building a wellness empire in Atlanta. They’ve proven that you don't have to be a tag team on television to be the most powerful duo in the business.
Next Steps for Fans:
If you want to keep up with their transition into 2026, keep an eye on Brandi's wellness brand Naked Mind for new virtual classes, and check out the Nightmare Factory YouTube channel for the latest "Showcase" events featuring their newest trainees.