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The history of sports-entertainment runs through Cody Rhodes’ veins.

Of course, his celebrated surname means Cody can follow a path that his famous family paved for him. The master of the Disaster Kick willingly embraces his heritage, which became apparent when Rhodes aligned with fellow Superstar scions Randy Orton and Ted DiBiase as the successful and combustible trio known as The Legacy. He also does not shy away from his genetic gifts, which led to some growing pains when his early embrace of a cocky attitude ended with his “dashing” good looks being damaged and hidden by a mask.

That overconfidence may also explain Rhodes’ mixed results with choosing his competitive allies. His choice of Hardcore Holly as a mentor put Cody in possession of the World Tag Team Championship for the first time — until the young protégé chose to double-cross Holly in favor of sharing the tandem titles with DiBiase. Karma for that treachery would come to get Rhodes years later, when his trust in Team Rhodes Scholars proved misguided in a Money in the Bank Ladder Match that saw Cody’s own partner, Damien Sandow, betray him.

Despite a few stumbles and falls during his formative years in WWE, Rhodes remains grounded by his humble roots as the grandson of a plumber. That blue-collar focus fuels his desire to fight for greatness in WWE, and has led Rhodes to multiple WWE Tag Team Championship reigns and a historic run as Intercontinental Champion that elevated the prestige of the storied title itself.

But his greatest achievements in the ring may be yet to come. Just weeks after being fired by WWE COO Triple H, Cody Rhodes forged a partnership with someone he truly trusts — his own brother, Goldust — and successfully returned to WWE’s competitive ranks by defeating The Shield at WWE Battleground 2013. The Rhodes brothers then proved their championship credentials days later when, with a little help from Big Show, they defeated Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns on Raw to become the new WWE Tag Team Champions. The siblings then successfully defended their titles against The Usos and The Shield in an intense Triple Threat Tag Team Match at WWE Hell in a Cell. Rhodes impressed again in a Traditional Survivor Series Elimination Tag Team Match, but his side ultimately came up short.

Rhodes & Goldust have had no shortage of challengers to their titles. The brothers defended the WWE Tag Team Championships in a Fatal 4-Way Elimination Match at WWE TLC 2013 against three determined teams in The Real Americans, Big Show & Rey Mysterio and Curtis Axel & Ryback. In the end, though, it was the Rhodes brothers who emerged victorious.

As he’s demonstrated time and again, Cody Rhodes will not rest on the laurels or on the gravitas bestowed on him by his last name. Instead, the last scion of the Rhodes family looks poised to prove that hard times ahead will not keep this grandson of a plumber from becoming a WWE legend.

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