The Cody Rhodes Chest Tattoo Mystery: Why His Infamous Ink Moved to His Neck
By Alexander Ross
Q1: Was Cody Rhodes' neck tattoo ever intended to be on his chest?
Yes. Cody Rhodes confirmed that his original plan was to place the American Nightmare logo across his chest, inspired by The Rock's Brahma Bull tattoo. The scale of the stencil prepared by artist Craig Eyeballs prompted an impromptu shift to his neck.
Q2: Who tattooed the American Nightmare design on Cody Rhodes?
The tattoo was completed by prominent tattoo artist Craig Eyeballs in late February 2020, right before the AEW Revolution pay-per-view.
Q3: Did Brandi Rhodes approve of the tattoo location?
No. Brandi Rhodes publicly stated she disliked the neck placement from the moment she saw it, voicing concerns about its visibility and the potential impact on Cody's mainstream entertainment career.
Q4: Why didn't Cody Rhodes remove or cover the tattoo after the fan backlash?
Rhodes chose to lean into the criticism, integrating the artwork directly into his ring branding, merchandise, and character identity. Over time, high sales and his WWE main-event run normalized the design.
Alexander Ross has covered the video game industry for a decade, writing deep dives on game design, esports tournaments, VR developments, and gaming culture.
