In the buildup for WrestleMania 40, everyone wondered if Cody Rhodes would “finish his story” his father Dusty Rhodes began to write by bringing the WWE Championship to the Rhodes family. Against all odds, Cody would end the historic 1,316-day run as Undisputed WWE Universal Champion for Roman Reigns and usher in a new era for WWE: the Triple H era, the Renaissance Era.

If you missed this historical landmark in WWE history, you have to go back and watch what transpired this weekend.

Roman Reigns won the Universal Championship at Payback in August 2020, unified the WWE and Universal Championships at WrestleMania 38, and was cementing his legacy as one of the greatest WWE superstars of all time. Meanwhile, Cody Rhodes was leading AEW through a pandemic as an Executive Vice President, returned to WWE at WrestleMania 38, and crossed paths with the Tribal Chief to main event back-to-back WrestleMania events.

In the first encounter last year at WrestleMania 39, Cody Rhodes fell short of ending Roman’s reign as champion. Over the course of the last year with run-ins with Brock Lesnar, Judgment Day, and Shinsuke Nakamura, Cody was determined to get back to WrestleMania this year and “finish his story.”

Cody did just that. When Cody fell short Night 1 in a tag team match with Seth Rollins to face Roman Reigns and The Rock, history appeared to be repeating itself. Cody looked hopeless as Roman Reigns and The Rock rose their championships at the entranceway. It was now Bloodline Rules, an anything goes contest for Night 2 when the championship was on the line.

Once Jimmy Uso tried helping Roman Reigns, Jey Uso came to even the odds. Solo Sikoa came out to repeat the end of WrestleMania 39, where he was the difference maker last year, but John Cena emerged for the first time since Crown Jewel (where Sikoa obliterated Cena) last fall and took out Sikoa. Then, “The Final Boss” The Rock came out to whip John Cena in a “third of a lifetime” showdown at the Showcase of the Immortals, but The Undertaker rose from the dead to chokeslam Rock and abruptly left right after.

Yet, the match came down to Roman’s past. With Seth Rollins limping out in his S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform, after his heroic efforts on both nights, Roman Reigns had a choice with a chair in hand: to avenge Seth for stabbing Roman Reigns in the back ten years ago, or to smash Cody with the chair and retain his title. Reigns opted to take out Seth Rollins, opening the door for Cody to hit his finish Cross-Rhodes three consecutive times to WIN the WWE Championship at Lincoln Financial Field.

This WrestleMania seemed to officially usher a new era into the sports entertainment world… or should I say professional wrestling? Following Cody’s triumphant victory, the commentary trio of Michael Cole, Pat McAfee, and Corey Graves all made it a point to say “professional wrestling is back” and they love it!

Cody wasn’t the only new champion to help usher in this new era, either.

Earlier on Sunday night, Seth Rollins defended his World Heavyweight Championship against Drew McIntyre, less than 24 hours after Seth’s involvement in the Night 1 main event. Clearly feeling the effects, Rollins was not 100% and McIntyre finally got his moment: winning a world championship in front of fans. McIntyre felt robbed to have his “WrestleMania moment” in an empty warehouse, defeating Brock Lesnar for the WWE Championship back in 2020 a couple of weeks after the world shut down. Yet his ego cost him everything.

Having beef with CM Punk, Drew McIntyre pushed the special guest commentator over the edge and Punk attacked McIntyre. This allowed Damian Priest, who had a cash-in opportunity available at any time as Senor Money in the Bank, to rush the ring and defeat McIntyre to become the new World Heavyweight Champion! This is Priest’s first world title run, and very well deserved after Judgment Day’s dominant run on Raw in the last twelve months. Ironically, this is also the second time the Money in the Bank briefcase was cashed in, with the first being Seth Rollins inserting himself into the main event of WrestleMania 31 between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns.

So with new world champions crowned on Sunday night, the trend continued when 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble winner Bayley defeated Iyo Sky to become the new WWE Women’s Champion. For Bayley, this was her first singles match at a WrestleMania after helping usher in the Women’s Revolution back in 2014. The Four Horsewomen (Charlotte, Becky Lynch, and Sasha Banks alongside Bayley) were the pillars of that generation and Bayley was the only one to not have a 1-on-1 championship match at WrestleMania. After ten years, Bayley finally finished “her story.”

Speaking of stories ending long title reigns, on Night 1, Gunther defended his Intercontinental Championship against Sami Zayn. In a nod to the movie Rocky IV, the story was based on this underdog facing off against an Ivan Drago-esque character. Gunther, the longest reigning Intercontinental Champion in company history, saw his historic reign fall to the “Underdog from the Underground” Sami Zayn in an emotional heart-tugging contest.

These WrestleMania moments seem to matter. WrestleMania 20 had the Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit confetti hug. WrestleMania 25 had Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker’s classic match, one of the greatest in WWE history. WrestleMania 30 had the Miracle on Bourbon Street with Daniel Bryan becoming WWE Champion. WrestleMania 35 had Becky Lynch unifying the women’s championships in the first-ever women’s main event in WrestleMania history. WrestleMania 40 will now be remembered with Cody Rhodes being lifted up on the shoulders of his peers, ending the longest title reign of the modern era in Roman Reigns.

WrestleMania 40 ushered in a new era. WWE fans got to enjoy nearly 4 years of the Tribal Chief Era that brought the company through turbulent waters. But now WWE has put the ball in the court of Cody Rhodes, bestowed upon him by Triple H. And after Cody destroyed the throne at AEW Double or Nothing 2019, we have come full circle.

Welcome to the Triple H era. Welcome to the Renaissance Era. And Cody’s story continues with a new chapter.