Throughout the history of WWE, various merchandise stars have emerged, but Cody Rhodes has achieved a unique milestone that even Hulk Hogan and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin have not.
Sources from Fanatics, the sports merchandise giant, revealed to Fightful Select that the Undisputed WWE Champion now ranks among the top five in sales for any athlete or personality, making him the first professional wrestler to reach such heights.
Michael Rubin, CEO of Fanatics, praised Rhodes for his record-breaking sales figures, with “The American Nightmare” sharing a video of Rubin delivering the news.
“You know what I’ve just been told? I owe you a giant thank you,” Rubin states in the video. “Because you are, without question, the number one person driving WWE’s business.” He humorously added that he has to tease The Rock and Logan Paul for not keeping pace.
Earlier reports indicated that Rhodes had entered Fanatics’ top 10 overall sales rankings. Given that this merchandising company includes a variety of athletes, entertainers, and public figures, Rhodes’ achievement is remarkable.
Additionally, WWE recently published its own list of top merchandise sellers for 2023, featuring Rhodes alongside Roman Reigns, LA Knight, Rhea Ripley, and others.
A recent minor controversy involving WWE merchandise emerged when the company began offering replica friendship bracelets inspired by CM Punk.
The original bracelet’s creator engaged in a brief online discussion with Drew McIntyre, who is Punk’s on-screen rival, prompting WWE to modify the bracelet’s design. However, as of now, there have been no controversies surrounding Rhodes’ merchandise.