Cody Rhodes broke WWE record at WrestleMania 40 as stunning figure revealed

Cody Rhodes broke a WWE record at WrestleMania 40 while becoming the undisputed WWE Universal Champion.

Last weekend’s WrestleMania saw The Rock, John Cena and The Undertaker return to the ring for the company’s biggest box office event, as Rhodes ended Roman Reigns' three-year title streak.

WWE's chief content officer Paul 'Triple H' Levesque said it was "the biggest WrestleMania of all time".

Reigns, who confirmed his ongoing treatment for leukaemia ahead of the defeat, was beaten by Rhodes in the culmination of the bloodline saga - one of WWE's biggest storylines.

Rhodes' victory came a year after he came up short against Reigns at WrestleMania 39.

Despite the defeat that night, Rhodes set a record for selling the most merchandise of all time at a WrestleMania event.

And a year on, Fightful Select has reported that Rhodes has broken that record.

Between WWE World and WWE Shop, $1million (£800,000) of Rhodes merchandise was reportedly sold throughout the WrestleMania weekend.

Rhodes revealed in his post-show press conference that Triple H, Bruce Prichard, and WWE President Khan surprised him with a sentimental gift when he arrived backstage after his victory.

Dusty Rhodes passed away in 2015 from kidney failure (Getty)

"I came to the back, and Bruce Prichard and Triple H and Nick Khan handed me this [watch]," Rhodes said. "Which is the same watch my dad had pawned so I could go to acting school.

“So, with the level of investment and responsibility that the company put in my hands, I hope I can pay it back, pay it forward 100 times over."

Cody's father and wrestling icon Dusty Rhodes passed away in 2015 from kidney failure.

"If I'm being honest, I think I would want to say to him that I hope I lived up to your name," Rhodes said. "Then, thank you for the name. Then, I would say sorry about the tattoo."