AEW star sends heartfelt message to Cody Rhodes following Royal Rumble win, urges him to finish the story

Former AEW Executive Vice President Cody Rhodes achieved a supremely rare feat last night as he won his second Royal Rumble match in a row. With The American Nightmare now set to headline WrestleMania against Roman Reigns once again, Cody's brother, AEW star Dustin Rhodes, has sent out a message of love and encouragement.

Cody and Dustin Rhodes shared several memorable moments in AEW, with their iconic singles match at Double or Nothing 2019 being at the top of the list. When The American Nightmare departed All Elite Wrestling in early 2022, his brother wished him well and has supported him ever since.

Cody Rhodes is intent on finishing his story, and that means taking down Roman Reigns and claiming the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania 40. Following Cody's Royal Rumble win last night, Dustin sent an encouraging message, imploring the younger Rhodes to fulfill his destiny:

"I love you brother!! NOW GO #FinishTheStory #RhodesLegacy," wrote Dustin on X.

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Cody Rhodes seemingly paid tribute to The Elite while celebrating his Royal Rumble victory

In the timeless words of Kenny Omega, "Bullet Club is 4-4-4-4 life...except for AJ Styles." It seems that The Elite, as an offshoot of Bullet Club, shares a similar philosophy, and Cody Rhodes may have paid tribute to the group following his Rumble win last night.

The American Nightmare was a member of the infamous faction known as The Elite for much of his tenure with NJPW, ROH, and AEW. When he, Kenny Omega, and The Young Bucks founded All Elite Wrestling alongside Tony Khan, they put a permanent stamp on the company's identity via its name.

Cody may have moved on from the young promotion, but he's often spoken fondly of The Young Bucks and The Elite in general, asserting as recently as this past week that the four of them changed the wrestling landscape together.

In celebrating his Royal Rumble victories – both last year's and last night's – The American Nightmare opted to use the 'Too Sweet' gesture and a finger gun rather than simply pointing at the WrestleMania sign. These gestures are often associated with Bullet Club and The Elite, with the shooting gesture being a trademark of Kenny Omega.

The Young Bucks responded to the alleged tribute in 2023 by changing their bio on X, as seen above. The villainous EVPS haven't provided a reaction this time around but may do so in the coming days or weeks.

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Do you think Cody Rhodes will "finish the story" at WrestleMania 40? Give us your predictions in the comments down below!