Cody Rhodes Breaks Down WWE Feud With Brock Lesnar, Quest For WrestleMania Main Event

This past Saturday at WWE SummerSlam, Cody Rhodes definitively defeated Brock Lesnar in the duo's third match, putting an end to their feud that started in the aftermath of WWE WrestleMania 39. Speaking to Sports Illustrated following Saturday's victory, Rhodes took some time to look back on his rivalry with Lesnar, as well as ahead toward next year's WWE WrestleMania 40 main event.

"This was my third time wrestling him, and the first two matches were [about] surviving Brock Lesnar," Rhodes said. "This match was different. SummerSlam was all about defeating Brock Lesnar." Rhodes analyzed elements of the match from Saturday, pointing out moments where he was tossed around the ring by "The Beast Incarnate" that have left him feeling rough in the days that followed.

"There is no one like him. He's a rare athlete," Rhodes continued. "He's back home farming, but he was also preparing. This is what he loves. I don't talk to him, and we don't know each other like that, but I get a sense that's the type of passion he has. He makes this a heavyweight company, but he's also agile."

Rhodes called his victory over Lesnar, as well as his Royal Rumble win in January, "once-in-a-lifetime moments in a once-in-a-lifetime-run." Even beyond his career, the 38-year-old second-generation wrestler called defeating Lesnar one of the best moments of his life, but Rhodes still has much he's looking forward to in the months and years ahead.

Following Saturday's loss, Lesnar did something that surprised many in the audience and watching at home: he shook Rhodes' hand, and Lesnar raised Rhodes' arm up in the air. As many wrestling fans know, this is a great sign of respect, especially coming from someone like Lesnar.

"As I saw him taking his gloves off, I sincerely thought he was going to start swinging," Rhodes said. "Then we went head-to-head, and it felt like we were a millisecond away from starting up again. So I didn't anticipate that handshake coming. ... When I saw his hand, I was grateful. That's not something he does. Again, this run has consistently surprised me. The torch isn't passed. You have to take it."

Rhodes said he didn't see Lesnar for the rest of the night, but he didn't need to; Lesnar had said everything that needed to be said. With that monumental task out of the way, Rhodes is shifting his focus back toward what he came to WWE to do: capture the WWE Championship.

"I know what I want," says Rhodes. "I know what I'm working to attain. I had other challenges before. People didn't think I'd survive Stardust, or that a non-WWE show could sell 10,000 tickets. There have been plenty of times when people bet against me. Getting back, this is the biggest obstacle yet. ... That's my goal: get back. And that's what I'm fighting to do."