Cody Rhodes may be one of WWE’s biggest stars, but even the American Nightmare apparently had to answer to Nintendo.
The wrestler recently shared that Nintendo once sent him a cease-and-desist letter because of his old Zelda-themed wrestling boots. The boots, worn during the earlier part of his WWE career, featured the Triforce symbol from The Legend of Zelda — a very recognisable icon for anyone who grew up with Nintendo consoles, handhelds, or even just Smash Bros sessions with the boys.
Rhodes talked about the story on his podcast What Do You Wanna Talk About?, where he was joined by fellow wrestler Kit Wilson. According to Rhodes, the warning from Nintendo was not aggressive. He described it as friendly, more like Nintendo stepping in to protect its IP rather than trying to crush him personally.
Still, it is a very Nintendo thing to happen.
Rhodes is not just casually using Zelda imagery for vibes either. He is genuinely a fan of the series, to the point that he has the Triforce tattooed on his finger. For fans, that makes the boots feel less like random merch-bait and more like a wrestler bringing his gaming love into his ring identity.
He also explained why the Triforce meant something to him beyond just looking cool. In Zelda lore, the Triforce is tied to wisdom, courage, and power — three ideas represented through Zelda, Link, and Ganon. Rhodes said those themes connected with how he thinks about wrestling: learning from experience, chasing ambition in a competitive industry, and having the guts to keep going even when the job gets painful.
That last bit is very wrestling-coded. Rhodes linked the idea of courage to the physical risk of the business, like taking a big dive, getting hurt, and still deciding to perform again the next night. So yes, bro was basically using Zelda philosophy as wrestling motivation.
For Malaysian and SEA fans, the funny part is how familiar this crossover feels. WWE and Nintendo both have massive nostalgia pull here. Plenty of us grew up watching wrestling on TV, playing Zelda or Pokémon on borrowed handhelds, and seeing pop culture mix everywhere — from custom shoes to cosplay gear at ACG events. But this story is also a reminder that using famous game logos in public-facing work can get tricky fast, even if the creator is a legit fan.
Nintendo has built a reputation for being extremely protective of its properties. Over the years, the company has taken action against piracy, unofficial fan projects, and other uses of its characters or symbols. Sometimes fans call it overkill, sometimes it makes sense legally, but either way, Nintendo does not play-play when its IP is involved.
The Cody Rhodes case sounds relatively chill compared to some of Nintendo’s harsher legal moves, but it still shows how powerful and closely guarded these gaming symbols are. A simple Triforce on wrestling boots was enough to get attention.
Honestly, it is also kind of peak nerd-meets-mainstream energy. A top WWE star using Zelda as part of his personal storytelling? That is the kind of crossover fans love. Too bad Nintendo had to come in like the final boss with legal paperwork.
Source: Dexerto Gaming