WWE champion Cody Rhodes has been a dedicated player of the mobile game Clash of Clans for nearly a decade, and his passion for the game has now earned him a unique crossover moment. Starting Tuesday, several WWE superstars, including Rhodes, will be "re-imagined as iconic characters" within the game, as announced by WWE and Clash of Clans. This partnership also includes a match sponsorship at the highly anticipated WrestleMania 41.

Rhodes, known as "The American Nightmare," will take on the persona of the "Barbarian King" in the game. In an interview with Fox News Digital, he shared his long-standing connection with Clash of Clans, recalling his early days with the game and how it has become a staple among WWE stars. "Talking about the culmination of years, for those who don’t know, I’ve been playing Clash since the OG days," Rhodes said. "There’s a whole group of WWE (stars) – the Nicky Clan – that still runs today. We’re literally on a prep day for a war."

Other WWE stars joining the in-game action include Rhea Ripley as "Archer Queen," The Undertaker as "Grand Warden," Bianca Belair as "Royal Champion," Rey Mysterio as "Minion Prince," Kane as "P.E.K.K.A.," Becky Lynch as "Valkyrie," and Jey Uso as "Thrower."

Rhodes expressed his amazement at the collaboration, admitting it was an unexpected yet delightful surprise. "This has been one of those really pleasant surprises. I didn’t anticipate we’d be able to do this cross-promotion, WWE and Clash, and gosh, it’s blowing me away," he remarked.

Interestingly, Rhodes credited his WrestleMania 41 opponent, John Cena, for introducing him to the game. Cena, who had his own clan back in the day, apparently inspired Rhodes and his colleagues to dive into the Clash world. "John Cena – he got the game, was playing it on the road. All of us thought the same thing, like, do you have time to commit to this game?" Rhodes humorously recalled. "Maybe we knew he was a bad guy all the way back then, because we kicked him out of the clan and started what was called the Nicky Clan."

The partnership between Clash of Clans and WWE is a groundbreaking move for the mobile gaming giant, which has already amassed over two billion lifetime downloads. Sara Bach, Supercell’s head of live games, highlighted the scale of this collaboration. "This partnership in Clash of Clans is on a scale we’ve never created before – from the in-game event reaching tens of millions of players, to WrestleMania 41 and our Clash of Clans match as a first-of-its-kind event on the biggest stage," she said in a statement.

As Rhodes gears up to defend his Undisputed WWE Championship against Cena at WrestleMania 41, the rivalry between the two has gained even more intrigue, with their shared history in gaming adding an unexpected twist to their storyline. Clash of Clans has not only become a cultural phenomenon but also a bridge between the worlds of professional wrestling and mobile gaming.

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WWE Star Cody Rhodes Shares Love for Clash of Clans and Reveals John Cena Connection