Cody Rhodes vs. Theory for the WWE United States Championship had a 'big fight feel'

Cody Rhodes' re-emergence in WWE has been like a fairy tale thus far. Like the prodigal son returning home, he's taken advantage of the six years he spent building his brand on his own, and now he's applying it for a second run with The Worldwide Leader in Sports Entertainment.

For WWE, not only was it a feather in the cap to have signed an Executive Vice President of their closest competitor, All Elite Wrestling, but they also got a great wrestler. Rhodes was never any kind of slouch in the ring. He was a superstar as an amateur competitor and the son of a true legend. So, he's always had the genes and the background for success.

Rhodes' time away from WWE, where he won both the Ring of Honor and NWA World Heavyweight Championships, helped him polish his big match skills. So it's not as if The American Nightmare left the 'E' and just went on vacation.

Then, there is the little matter of him helping to launch a significant wrestling promotion and wrestling in some of its biggest matches.

So, needless to say - Cody Rhodes was fully prepared for his return to WWE

He carries with him the air that every one of his matches is special. On this week's episode of RAW, he received his first title shot since returning to World Wrestling Entertainment. His opponent was Theory, and the prize on the line was the United States Championship.

There are often title bouts on RAW, Smackdown, and NXT, but this one felt different. The announcers kept putting over the match throughout the entire broadcast. They even kept naming the exact time the match would take place. It made everything seem even more important.

As a challenger, Cody would come out first to raucous cheers. The heel champion emerged, and the fight was on.

From the introduction to the tense moments in this title contest, Cody Rhodes' aura lent itself to these segments. It felt as if he was on the cusp of victory when rival Seth Rollins showed up to spoil the party. This is an indication that the feud between Rhodes and The Architect will continue going forward.

WWE are going out of their way to make every moment involving Cody Rhodes feel special, and this match was no exception. While they may not be able to maintain this type of momentum, it's given him a great head start in his second stint with the promotion.

If his first challenge for a championship was this intense, then it will be interesting to see what happens when he steps up to the main event and eventually challenges the likes of Roman Reigns. It may very well blow the roof off of whatever arena it's being held in.

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What did you think of Cody Rhodes' match for the WWE United States Championship against Theory? Please share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.