Cody Rhodes has admitted that his famous American Nightmare neck tattoo has become the “greatest regret” of his life, although he has no plans to have it removed.
Cody Rhodes drew plenty of attention when he first unveiled the large tattoo, based on his American Nightmare logo. Its prominent position on his neck immediately divided wrestling fans, with some questioning his decision to place such a large design there.
Speaking on an episode of his podcast, What Do You Wanna Talk About?, the former Undisputed WWE Champion revealed that his feelings towards the tattoo have changed considerably over time.
“I’d say it’s the greatest regret of my life,” Rhodes said. “But it also…it’s had some very beneficial elements of it.”
Although he described the tattoo as a major regret, Rhodes acknowledged that his relationship with it is complicated. The design has become closely associated with his presentation and branding during the years since he had it done.
Rhodes also explained that seeing how other wrestlers have handled tattoos they later reconsidered has influenced his decision not to cover his own.
“There’s a wrestler out there who has a Brahma Bull on his arm, but knew when he broke into a business that was somebody else’s, he got it because he was a fan of The Rock and he had a Panther put on top of it,” Rhodes said. “I ain’t trying to get it removed, and we’re gonna rock this until the end.”
While Rhodes has accepted that the tattoo is staying, he admitted that its finished appearance was not what he originally envisioned.
“It was so big,” he said.
Cody Rhodes Said Dusty Rhodes Would Not Approve Of His Neck Tattoo
Cody Rhodes also joked about how his late father, WWE Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes, would have reacted to seeing the tattoo.
“If my dad was to come back to life, he would not say congrats. He would not say. He would lose his s**t. ‘You have ruined yourself.’”
The American Nightmare logo has since become one of the most recognisable elements of Rhodes’ presentation, appearing prominently across his merchandise and branding.
Despite the tattoo’s association with his wrestling persona, Rhodes now openly acknowledges that he would make a different decision if given the opportunity again. However, rather than attempting to remove or cover it, he intends to keep the tattoo for the rest of his life.
