When Cody Rhodes was selected as a member of the RAW roster during the 2023 WWE Draft, fans wondered what it could mean for his aspirations to be the man that finally unseats Roman Reigns as both the “Head of the Table” but also as the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion.

Would Rhodes be jumping from one brand to another like the good old days, disregarding what was supposed to be a more defined brand split? Would he simply bide his time on the red brand until the 2024 Royal Rumble, where he could shoot his shot once more at any performer he'd like, including the “Tog Dog” on SmackDown? Or would Rhodes simply turn his attention to the top title on RAW, the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, which was won by Seth Rollins at Night of Champions?

Well, in an interview with Fightful, Sean Ross Sapp asked Rhodes that very question, and the “American Nightmare” let it be known that, while he likes the new title belt fine, it has nothing to do with his goal to #FinishTheStory.

“I don’t think that was ever something in terms of on the table because it was very clear to everybody, new people, young infrastructure people, all the way up to the top brass, what my story and goal when returning was,” Cody Rhodes said via Fightful. “I’m talking about the physical hardware of the belt. Anytime a belt is new and shows up, every superstar, we all want it. Just now, I signed a replica one at an appearance. ‘Man, it’s very nice.’ We all have gold fever for these titles. The way it came out of that press conference made it sound non-important. That’s as important of a title as it can possibly be; it’s just not related to the ‘finish the story' theme.”

Asked if winning the WWE World Heavyweight Championship would put a damper on his pursuit of the WWE Championship, his father runs successfully wrestled for a few decades prior; Rhodes said no, as the two really aren't related.

“No, what happens is what happens,” Rhodes added. “This is a very unpredictable world. It gets more unpredictable by the day. Every day there is some level of news, scandal, excitement, something. I believe, sincerely, this run that I have been lucky to get, and also have earned, I want to let it ride and see where it goes. I don’t look at it as diminishing anything. It’s a massive title that represents RAW, which is the show I’m on.”

Which is more realistic, Rhodes winning the WWE World Heavyweight Championship or taking down Reigns as the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship? Well, considering Rhodes is still hinting at a future match with Reigns at WrestleMania 40, it's clear where his mind is at moving forward.

Cody Rhodes finally reveals why he put Andrade through a flaming table.

Speaking with Robbie Fox on My Mom's Basement, Cody Rhodes was finally asked a question fans have been wondering for years now: why did he decide to put Andrade El Idolo – and mostly himself – through a flaming table on AEW Dynamite? The answer, as you can imagine, wasn't smart in hindsight.

“The fire was bad,” Rhode said via Fightful. “I flayed my back. If I'm re-doing one, I can't, I don't want to re-do either. There was a purpose. Hell in a Cell, the purpose was, ‘Oh, that's why he's never made it. Finally in the main event, he got hurt, that's why he never made it.' I wanted them to know, ‘No, we're going to do something different with this injury.' The other one was me defined as a person trying to get you to watch the alternative product. It wasn't about being cheered or being boo'd, it was ‘Please, when I'm on the channel, turn on the channel because every viewer counts for this company, and I don't want to blow it.' I wanted to be a leader and help lead the team there. Was it a great decision? No. Did a lot of people try to help to make it better? Yes. In the end, the heat is on me, but I put the heat on Brandi [Brandi Rhodes] too. She loaded that table up. Loaded it. I think somebody said to her earlier, ‘The more, the merrier.' Andrade, not a mark on him.”

While most fans don't look back on the Rhodes-Andrade match in question as one of the signature matches in AEW history, as frankly, the actual match was nothing special save the finish, but that image of the “American Nightmare” throwing his foe through a flaming table as his wife watched on in horror is certainly a lasting one that will live on forever in his personal wrestling highlight reel, for better or worse.