Cody Rhodes Acknowledges Truth Of Roman Reigns WWE Raw Promo: 'The Business Stung Me'

Cody Rhodes is acknowledging Roman Reigns' recent promo on "WWE Raw" for having nuggets of truth in it about his up-and-down career, but warned the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion that he's "everything I say I am" when he calls himself "The American Nightmare." Rhodes, who won the men's Royal Rumble match to earn a title shot at WrestleMania 39, is set to square off against Reigns for both of his championships at next week's spectacular. The highly anticipated main event comes as Rhodes aims to achieve his dream of winning the WWE Championship in his father Dusty's honor, and as Reigns passes more than 940 days as champion by the time the bell rings.

On Monday's "Raw," Reigns got personal with his words to Rhodes, mocking his decision to leave WWE in 2016 and embark on a decorated independent career that concluded with helping form AEW. "You're not cut out for this," Reigns told Rhodes, claiming the challenger has "ran away" from adversity throughout his career. Rhodes, however, is not running away from Reigns' criticism.

"I have to own it," Rhodes told WrestleJoy on Friday. "I did meet adversity and I did not say, you know what, I'm gonna put my feet in the sand and stay. I didn't put my flag here. I'm not gonna get back to the campus. I'm gonna find a different campus. I hate the expression 'trust the process' with all my life. Why not create the process? Why do I have to trust the process? I'd rather create the process. Roman isn't wrong that the business stung me, and I had to move away from where I got stung. I couldn't just continue to get stung."