Cody Rhodes says he’s got a different mentality this year as he gears up for the crowning moment of his professional wrestling career.
Rhodes’ WWE return at WrestleMania 38 will go down as one of the most memorable moments of 2022. The American Nightmare sent shockwaves throughout the industry when he walked through the curtain at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Unfortunately, his feud with Seth Rollins was cut short when he suffered a pectoral tear prior to June’s Hell in Cell PLE. He toughed it out and still wrestled in a HIAC match that night, delivering a performance for the ages. He’d soon undergo surgery and took six months to recover.
Rhodes returned from injury last month at the Royal Rumble. He won the men’s Rumble match and punched his ticket to the main event of WrestleMania 39. During an interview with Peter Rosenberg for Hot 97, Rhodes explained that he is taking a very different approach for this run.
2022 Cody vs. 2023 Cody
Rhodes told Rosenberg that he could barely sleep in the month leading up to the Royal Rumble. He tried everything to quiet his mind, but he was just so excited to get back to what he loves doing. He explained his mood as “giddy” in the weeks leading up to his return, but he’s made a conscious effort to tweak his outlook on things.
“The final month before I came back, I really couldn’t sleep,” he said. “I was trying everything I possibly could just to quiet my mind down and go to sleep, because I was really giddy. Very giddy about returning to wrestling”
“I don’t know if ‘giddy’ is the most masculine of words, but very giddy, but also at the same time, giddy is what got me into trouble. Lifting and just going nuts because i was so excited and i felt so much responsibility.”
He may have pushed himself a bit too hard last year. He felt the pressure to perform and that probably got to him. This year, he’s
“This time i just tried to be calm an cool and come in and do my thing and help in the best way i can. Not that WWE needs help, but it did feel like there was this absense on Raw perhaps, maybe it was just my absense, i’m glad to jump back in and take that responsibility.”
– Cody Rhodes