Posts Tagged ‘Cody Rhodes’

Cody Rhodes’ Pick For MVP of 2023 Is Different Than Shawn Michaels

Cody Rhodes believes Seth Rollins is the MVP of wrestling in 2023.

2023 has been a strong year for WWE. The momentum gained after the COVID era has helped the company record some of its best financial numbers since the Attitude Era. A number of breakout performances from rookies and veterans alike have been one of the biggest catalysts of this unprecedented growth. 

With names such as Gunther, LA Knight, Rhea Ripley and more contributing to this success, it’s hard to pick one name as the MVP performer of the year. One guy that seems to be on everyone’s radar more than others however, is Dominik Mysterio. 

The son of wrestling legend Rey Mysterio has been able to carve a unique path for himself and he has received praise from many industry veterans for his growth this year. One such legend that has been impressed by Dirty Dom is Shawn Michaels, who picked the young star as his performer of the year during a recent interview.

The American Nightmare was questioned about this pick while appearing on The Michael Kay Show and asked to name his own choice for the honor. Cody Rhodes said that for him, Seth Rollins is the real MVP of WWE in 2023:

“That’s a loaded [question] because Dom is a prickly individual. If I was looking at it from tickets sold, merch sold, excitement over matches, genuine body of work, I’d say your MVP is…I’m not gonna say myself, somebody else hopefully will say me, but I’d say Seth Rollins, World Heavyweight Champion is probably somebody who’s more of the MVP.”

‘There Is Something Incredibly Special About The Young Man’: Cody Rhodes

cody rhodes dominik 2

The WWE star didn’t take Michaels’ words lightly despite having a different opinion. He explained that there is something special about Dominik and proclaimed that his future is brighter than anybody else in the business:

Who am I to go against what Shawn Michaels said though. If Shawn Michaels sees something in Dominik Mysterio. That’s huge, because he’s not one that often will make that claim. Dom is…as difficult as he is to get along with, he is incredibly linked to the audience.

I have a feeling that if, Dom Mysterio walks out now, for those of you don’t watch WWE. He walks out and you can’t hear a word he’s saying because they boo him out of the building. I have a sense that Dom will be getting that same reaction two or three years from now but they won’t be boos, they’ll be cheers.

There is something incredibly special about the young man and I’m sorry that I’ve had to beat him so many times. But I look forward to what he does. He comes from good stock, obviously. His future is perhaps brighter than anybody’s.”

You can check out Cody Rhodes’ full interview below:

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If you use any quotes from the article please credit The Michael Kay Show with an H/t to SEScoops for transcription

WWE Bringing Back Iconic Stipulation for Cody Rhodes’ MSG Match

Cody Rhodes will face Shinsuke Nakamura at the upcoming WWE live event in Madison Square Garden, in a match we’ve not seen in WWE in over a decade. 

 In recent years, it has become a tradition for WWE to host an event inside the World’s Most Famous Arena on Boxing Day. This year will prove to be no different, with a special match planned for Nakamura and Rhodes. As first reported by Michael Kay of ESPN, the pair will face off in a Bull Rope match at the December 26 show.

Rhodes had previously been scheduled to face ‘Dirty’ Dominik Mysterio at the end. Instead, Mysterio will face CM Punk in the latter’s first WWE match since January 2014. 

This match will mark Cody’s first bull rope match in WWE, and his second overall. He previously faced Jay Lethal in a bull rope match in ROH in 2017. This will mark Nakamura’s first bull rope match in his career. WWE’s most recent bull rope match took place in 2009 and saw Hornswoggle defeat Chavo Guerrero in under two minutes. A more competitive match took place in 2007 and saw Randy Orton face Cody’s father the ‘American Dream’ Dusty Rhodes. 

WWE in Madison Square Garden

Here is the card for the upcoming event inside Madison Square Garden

  • Seth ‘Freakin’ Rollins (c) Vs. Drew McIntyre (WWE World Heavyweight Championship)
  • Finn Balor & Damian Priest (c) Vs. Sami Zayn & Jey Uso (Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships)
  • CM Punk Vs. ‘Dirty’ Dominik Mysterio
  • Cody Rhodes Vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (Texas Bullrope Match)

Other names being advertised include WWE Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley, Becky Lynch, The New Day, Ricochet, Raquel Rodriguez, and Omos. 

Will MJF Sign With WWE? Cody Rhodes Believes “One Day”

MJF will one day be known as a WWE Superstar, at least according to current WWE top star and AEW alum Cody Rhodes. 

The reigning AEW World Champion has often teased moving to WWE, though these teases have stopped ever since he became an on-screen babyface. MJF did try out for WWE as part of 2011’s Tough Enough, and his video application is suspiciously still online on WWE’s YouTube channel. MJF also appeared as a security guard during a segment with Samoa Joe, which has been referenced as part of their AEW feud. 

Cody Rhodes on MJF

Though they are no longer in the same company, Cody Rhodes is keeping a close eye on the career of the AEW World Champion. During an interview with Peter Rosenburg, the American Nightmare was asked about MJF possibly joining WWE. 

“I think one day you will see MJF in WWE. I think, one thing I’m really proud of him for is, for those who don’t know, MJF was one of my recruits. Probably the one I’m the most excited about just because [of] his potential, his personality; his overall professionalism is beaming. One thing I’m proud of him doing is, if you notice he’s put on a lot of muscle and he’s put it on safely over the last year and a half. And when he does make that jump, and I don’t know when that is, if he makes the jump. But if he comes to WWE he’ll have to stand across from guys like Drew McIntyre, you have to stand across from guys like Omos. Or, gosh, Brock Lesnar.”

What’s Next? 

While MJF could one day be a WWE Superstar, it isn’t likely to happen anytime soon. For all his teases of leaving, MJF reportedly signed a new AEW deal that will keep him around for years to come. One WWE source described MJF’s potential bidding war as “a completely in his head storyline.” His next AEW World Championship defense will come on December 30, against Samoa Joe at AEW Worlds End. 

Cody Rhodes is currently in the midst of a feud with Shinsuke Nakamura. Rhodes has announced himself for the Men’s Royal Rumble match and hopes to become the fourth man to win back-to-back Royal Rumble matches. 

Cody Rhodes Could Be Looking to Revive His Father’s Wrestling Promotion

Cody Rhodes could be prepared to revive Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling, the promotion founded by his father ‘American Dream’ Dusty Rhodes. 

Recently, Rhodes and his Nightmare Factory partner QT Marshall filed a trademark for the term ‘Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling’ for entertainment services and merchandising. The filing specifically refers to “wrestling contests” and “exhibits” as applicable to the TCW term. 

Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling

Dusty Rhodes started making plans for TCW in 1999 and would establish offices in East Cobb County, Georgia. At the time, Rhodes described his idea for the new promotion as “old school but with modern ideas.” The first TCW event took place in July 2000 and saw Glacier win a tournament to become the first TCW Heavyweight Champion. 

The following year, TCW would host its first pay-per-view, and would also begin airing on TV. In March of 2001, Scott “The Clap” Anton and “The Extreme Dream” Erik Watts became the first TCW Tag Team Champions defeating Glacier and Jorge Estrada.

With the demise of WCW and ECW, TCW welcomed talent that the WWF did not pick up. In an August 2001 interview with Greg Oliver, Dustin Rhodes had high praise for TCW. 

“TCW is the alternative to the World Wrestling Federation. To me in my mind, my opinion, and my dad’s opinion, we are the World Wrestling Federation’s competition. We are not an independent, we are a company. We want to be treated as one.”

The original TCW saw several notable names compete, including Scott Hall, ‘Hacksaw’ Jim Duggan, New Jack, Leilani Kai, Daffney, and Steve Corino. Years before he’d make it big as part of TNA Wrestling, James Storm would compete during the latter stages of the company. 

The Nightmare Factory

The Nightmare Factory is Rhodes and Marshall’s training school based in Norcross, Georgia. Training seminars often feature notable names in professional wrestling, including Rhodes, Marshall, and Jerry Lynn. The Nightmare Factory is currently accepting applicants for their 2024 class. 

Mick Foley Picks His Royal Rumble Winner Between Cody Rhodes And CM Punk

Mick Foley is hoping that Cody Rhodes will win Royal Rumble this year once again and finally finish his story.

It’s rare for WWE to have more than a month’s gap between two PLEs. This year, however, the company has chosen not to run any main roster PPVs in 2023 after Survivor Series, giving the 2024 Royal Rumble more time to build up stories.

The build-up for Royal Rumble includes many overlapping fueds. One such story is between CM Punk and Cody Rhodes, who are both looking to claim that ultimate WrestleMania spot by winning the Rumble.

During a recent appearance on The Bump, Mick Foley was asked who he would like to win the ultimate Battle Royal between these two. The WWE Hall of Famer explained that fans are ready for Cody to finally win the world title:

“I’d love to see Cody back in the main event picture. Yeah, I really would. I think that’s the perfect ending to his story. I know that fans were bitterly disappointed when Cody did not defeat Roman last year, but he went out on his own and he earned something more important than that WWE title. He earned the respect of all the naysayers.

Brock Lesnar will put you through the ringer. When Brock shook his hand, unexpected, he meant it. He meant it. He’s not a back-padder. He’s not a feel good, people person. He really respected Cody for surviving that and the fans respected it. So now they’re even more ready for Cody to claim that ultimate prize.”

Mick Foley Says Royal Rumble Is The Second Biggest PPV

mick foley cody punk 1

When asked for his advice for talents competing in the rumble, the Attitude Era star mentioned how he’s never won the match himself. Mick Foley, however, did explain that you can still create a memorable impression even if you don’t win the match:

“Let me tell you a quick story. My son Hughie when he was about five. He knew his dad had been a wrestler but he wasn’t alive when I was wrestling. He goes ‘Dad, were you ever in the Royal Rumble?’ I figured I’m gonna grab on to this. I said ‘Not only was I in it, I was in it three times in one night as three different characters,’ And without missing a beat. He looked at me and said, ‘And you still couldn’t win?’ I can’t tell you how to win the rumble.

I can tell you how to make a memorable impression in a rumble. It can only be one winner but that doesn’t mean we can’t have some memorable moments. It doesn’t mean that we can’t have one of the best nights of the year. My feeling is that five years running, I would say Royal Rumble became the second greatest show in WWE, all due respect to SummerSlam and the others.”

You can check out Mick Foley’s appearance on The Bump Below:

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The Undertaker Shares Who He Feels Should Dethrone Roman Reigns

The Undertaker is one of the most iconic figures in WWE history. He recently shared his thoughts on who he thinks should defeat Roman Reigns and capture his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship belt.

During a recent conversation with Ariel Helwani for BT Sport, the Dead Man said he believes the right person for this job is none other than Cody Rhodes.

The American Nightmare returned from his injury at the Royal Rumble in January, and came out as the winner of the 30-man battle royale. He challenged Reigns for his title on the January 30 episode of Raw, for a match at WrestleMania 39.

Is Cody Rhodes the man to dethrone Roman Reigns?

The Undertaker recommending Cody Rhodes just goes to show how important it is to find the right competitor to defeat Reigns. Reigns has been a force to be reckoned with in the WWE for quite some time now. He has become the top dog in the company and bringing him down is something that needs a lot of planning and proper execution. It will also take someone who has the skills and charisma to pull it off and look believable. The wrestler should also have the staying power to take Reigns’ spot.

It seems like Cody Rhodes fits the bill perfectly when it comes to all these things, according to The Undertaker. Rhodes has momentum in the company currently, has the fan support and is good in the ring as well as the mic. He could make for a believable Universal Champion. He has also proved his mettle during his tenure in AEW.

Apart from Cody Rhodes, The Undertaker also mentioned Sami Zayn as a potential “dark horse” candidate to defeat Reigns. Zayn has been with the WWE for many years, and has had many highs and lows in his career. Being a reliable performer in the ring who WWE could trust, it would make sense why the Deadman himself would think Zayn is another good pick to take down Reigns.

Cody Rhodes Names Wrestler Who Would be Huge if he Returned to WWE

Cody Rhodes knows firsthand what it’s like to depart from WWE, reinvent himself outside of the company bubble, and make a return to the promotion. Now, he wants to see Matt Cardona do just that. 

Cardona was with WWE for several years until 2020 when he departed in 2020 before going to AEW that same year for a brief run. He went to Impact Wrestling in January 2022 where he found success. He also found a lot of success in GCW and NWA. He has held the GCW World Championship, the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship, the Impact Digital Media Championship, and several other titles.

While speaking on Good Karma Wrestling, Cardona came up in the interview. Rhodes called him the king of the indies and wants to see him return to WWE. 

Praise

“I’m really proud of him,” Rhodes said. “He’s out there, he’s doing the Indy God thing with the Indiana Jones hats. Everything Matt’s doing, Matt has been the king of the indies now, this is going on year two. You only usually get one run in that role. He’s going on year two. What Matt does next is gonna be huge. If he goes to AEW, that’d be cool. But if he comes back to WWE, that’s what I want. It would be off the charts. I think he’s a huge get, a huge free agent, and he’s the best he’s ever been.

Rhodes returned to WWE at WrestleMania 38 where he has since been pushed as a top star. He will challenge Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania 39.

H/T to WrestleZone for the transcription

All In Pay-Per-View Referenced on Latest WWE SmackDown on FOX

The 2018 All In wrestling supershow was referenced during this week’s episode of WWE SmackDown on FOX.

In September of that year, stars of various promotions came together to host the event, billed as “the biggest independent wrestling show ever.”

After showing that there was support for a non-WWE product, many of the names associated with All In would go on to be part of All Elite Wrestling, which launched in January 2019.

SmackDown

One significant name who was part of All In is Cody Rhodes, who made an appearance on this week’s edition of the blue brand.

Speaking about his upcoming WrestleMania match, Rhodes said there are those who think toppling Roman Reigns is an impossible goal, but he has a history of defying the odds.

The American Nightmare said that there were people who believed he would never be more than Randy Orton’s lackey, referring to his days in Legacy.

Rhodes added that there were some who thought that All In would be possible, saying:

“There’s no way 10,000 people would pay to see my buddy’s little indie show.”

Cody Rhodes.

At the September 2018 event, Rhodes would defeat Nick Aldis to capture the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.

The event began after Dave Meltzer dismissed the idea that any event other than a WWE show could sell 10,000 tickets, a statement that Rhodes accepted as a challenge.

Reigns Response

Rhodes, as predicted, was very passionate with his promo, but the Tribal Chief had some barbs of his own.

Speaking about being trained by Cody’s father Dusty Rhodes, Reigns bust-out an impressive impression of the American Dream, who told Reigns in developmental that he had ‘it.’

The two men shook hands without coming to blows and agreed that the better man will win next month at WrestleMania 39.

Watch: What Happened With Cody Rhodes After SmackDown Went Off Air

Cody Rhodes made an appearance on this week’s episode of SmackDown to confront Roman Reigns. He also put on his 33-match undefeated streak on the line after the show went off air.

The opening segment of this week’s SmackDown saw The American Nightmare confronting The Undisputed WWE Universal Champion. The two had a heated exchange that got personal.

The WrestleMania opponents, however, avoided a fight before their upcoming big match. The segment ended with both the stars shaking hands.

The main event of the show saw Sami Zayn competing in a bout against Solo Sikoa. Though this wasn’t the last match of the night and WWE presented two dark matches after SmackDown went off air.

What Happened After SmackDown

The first dark match after the show featured Charlotte Flair in action. The SmackDown Women’s Champion put her title on the line against Sonya Deville.

The second dark match then saw Cody Rhodes, who has been undefeated since his return last year facing Finn Balor in a singles match.

https://twitter.com/SMS2894/status/1631855561296822273

The former AEW star went on to win the match against the Judgement Day Leader. Rhodes cut a promo after the bout and said that he hopes to leave WrestleMania as the Undisputed WWE World Heavyweight Champion.

Cody Rhodes Explains Why He May Never Want To Face Dustin Rhodes Again

Cody Rhodes thinks he may never share the ring with Dustin Rhodes again.

The two brothers had a highly praised match at Double or Nothing 2019. It was one of the matches that helped put AEW on the map which was won by Cody. Though this wasn’t the first time the two wrestling stars went up against each other, as they previously shared the ring in WWE as well. The bout happened at Fastlane 2015 where Dustin, then known as Goldust picked up the win.

With both the Rhodes family members having a win over the other, fans often wonder if we will ever get a third bout to cap things off. When asked about it on the AJ Awesome Show, Cody explained why he may never want to face his brother in a match again:

“Great question. I could say 100% it would happen because that’s how families work. You find each other again. Or I could also say 0%.” said Cody Rhodes, “The reason I can say 0% is because Double or Nothing was such a difficult match for both of us. It was widely respected by the industry. It was really special to us both [and] very hard to top as far as against one another.

‘He Has Earned The Right To Walk Away’: Cody Rhodes

cody rhodes dustin rhodes double or nothing

Cody Rhodes mentioned how Dustin has earned the right to walk away on his own terms. According to him, he wouldn’t want to hamper that by trying to get another match out of his brother:

“Also I again, he has earned the right as a wrestler – who is a Hall of Fame level wrestler – He has earned the right to walk away. I wouldn’t want to hamper that or handicap it in any sense trying to get one last one out of him. So really, it’ll definitely happen or definitely won’t happen Because there’s nowhere in the middle on a repeat of something with us. I myself, I love what he’s doing now. I’m very proud of him and Dakota his daughter [who is a] photographer in the industry now. She’s in the family biz too. So very proud of what he’s been able to do and just unbelievable legacies left.

I don’t cite him or credit him enough as one of my favorites growing up because he’s my brother, but absolutely one of my favorites. One of the highest honors I ever had was Double or Nothing. Because it meant a lot not just to each other, but it’s very important for what was starting there. That needed to happen for it to exist and it happened.”

You can check out Cody Rhodes’ full interview below:

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Cody Rhodes Says WWE Star Reminds Him Of Dusty Rhodes

Kevin Owens and Cody Rhodes are two very different kind of performers. Cody meticulously plans every part of his promo and he knows everything he is going to do in a match ahead of time. Kevin on the other hand is known for his spontaneous reactions. His ring awareness and the ability to adapt to things is one of the major reasons behind his popularity. This is probably also the reason why Owens reminds Rhodes of his father.

The American Nightmare recently had an interview with The AJ Awesome Show. He talked about the former Universal champion during the interview and claimed that Kevin Owens reminds him of the late great Dusty Rhodes:

“Kevin’s just a natural at everything. He’s one of those types that reminds me a lot of my dad. It’s funny cause I don’t remind myself of my dad at all but Kevin is one of those [that makes you go] ‘Yeah, he reminds me a lot of Dusty in a way’ and they had a little bond themselves.”

– Cody Rhodes via AJ Awesome Show

Owens and Rhodes are both involved in a multi-layered storyline with The Bloodline heading into WrestleMania. Cody won the Royal Rumble and he is set to challenge Roman Reigns for the Undisputed Universal Championship in the main event of the show. Owens is working with Sami Zayn and they are expected to challenge The Usos for the Undisputed Tag Titles at the event.

Apart from this, Cody Rhodes also talked about his plans after WrestleMania 39 and more. You can check out his full interview below:

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Cody Rhodes Going to SmackDown for Roman Reigns

Ever since Cody Rhodes won the Royal Rumble, Roman Reigns has been dodging him. Although he’s acknowledged him in a promo, Reigns has sent “The Wise Man” Paul Heyman on his behalf.

Rhodes has even said he was open to the possibility of adding Sami Zayn to their match at WrestleMania 39. However, WWE has reportedly been concerned about Zayn being so over with the fans and that it might hurt Rhodes leading into his match with Reigns.

Cody Rhodes Going to Reigns

Paul Heyman:Cody Rhodes
Via BT Sports

After defeating Chad Gable, Rhodes looked in the camera to address Reigns directly.

“He is on SmackDown this Friday and I am ecstatic that Roman Reigns is on SmackDown this Friday because I’ll be there too.”

WWE is promoting Rhodes as “being in the same building” as the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion.

Do you think Reigns and Rhodes will actually come face to face on Friday? Or do you think Heyman will prevent it?

WWE Expected to Pursue Several Top AEW Stars This Year

WWE will seek out the very top names from All Elite Wrestling to add to their roster over the next 12 months, it has been claimed.

Since AEW was founded in 2019, Tony Khan’s promotion has welcomed plenty of former Superstars, thanks in part to WWE’s mass layoffs of talent.

FTR, Miro, Andrade El Idolo and Bryan Danielson are just some of the names in AEW who were calling WWE home not too long ago,

Go Hard

The next 12 months will see several current AEW deals expire, with World Champion MJF openly teasing leaving the promotion in January 2024.

FTR, who are currently taking a break from AEW, are also expected to have their deals expire within a matter of months.

On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer stated that a lot of “key deals” will expire this year, and WWE is going to “go hard at everyone good.”

On the flip side, Meltzer added that there are a lot of WWE contracts ending this year, and AEW will likely make a play for some names.

With that said, it was added that right now the “perception” of WWE talent is to not go to AEW, despite the company’s lighter schedule.

AEW experienced several setbacks in 2022, at a time when the WWE product was noticeably improving under Triple H’s leadership.

Cody Rhodes

While AEW is home to some WWE alum, the biggest move saw Cody Rhodes part ways with Tony Khan to return to WWE last year.

On his show, Meltzer added that Cody’s treatment since returning to WWE could prove to be an incentive for others to jump ship.

Speaking about Kenny Omega, whose AEW contract is expected to end in late 2023, Meltzer said that Khan losing Omega would be “really, really bad.”

It was noted that Omega is in a “very good position” as both AEW will offer him a lot to stay, and WWE will offer him plenty to join them.

WWE Cautious About Balancing Cody Rhodes’ Storyline with Sami Zayn’s Popularity

Sami Zayn’s immense popularity has reportedly become cause for concern behind-the-scenes in WWE.

At WrestleMania 39, Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns will lock horns with Royal Rumble-winner Cody Rhodes. ‘The American Nightmare’ has been a big hit with WWE audiences since he returned at last year’s WrestleMania.

Cody Rhodes backstage at Royal Rumble

Rhodes’ Hell in a Cell bout with Seth Rollins last year solidified him as a top dog in waiting. His return last month was greeted with huge cheers and his segments with Paul Heyman and Sami Zayn in the weeks since have garnered critical acclaim.

However, Zayn’s own rise to babyface stardom appears to be threatening Rhodes’. After a slow-burning run as ‘The Honorary Uce’ in The Bloodline, Zayn turned on faction head Roman Reigns at the Royal Rumble. The segment and subsequent feud between the pair was highlighted as a strong ratings mover for WWE in 2023.

Sami Zayn at Elimination Chamber

While the rivalry seemingly came to an end at Elimination Chamber, there are concerns that Zayn’s connection with the audience could potentially derail the Reigns/Rhodes build.

“They Were Very Concerned About Sami Chants” – Dave Meltzer On Cody Rhodes Segment

On a recent edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer discussed the segment Cody Rhodes had with Paul Heyman on this week’s RAW. He revealed that the pacing of the segment was designed to give fans little breathing room to potentially launch chants for Sami Zayn into the situation.

“The stuff with Cody and Heyman – they [WWE] were very concerned about Sami chants, which is one of the reasons why they got Heyman out there in seconds. They did not want Cody in there by himself because they thought that – it didn’t happen – but they did everything in their power to make sure they kept that moving, they did not allow the audience a chance to start chanting or anything like that, it was just back-and-forth.”

Meltzer went on to add that the general consensus is that Zayn chants potentially hijacking the show would hinder Rhodes’ momentum.

“It was designed to give the audience no chance to chant because of the feeling that if they did it would hurt Cody’s momentum. And perhaps it would, and then it could create that groundswell [for Zayn] which is exactly what they don’t want right now.”

‘The American Nightmare’ himself later commented on the segment. Seemingly in kayfabe at first, Rhodes joked about the segment being cut short due to Heyman getting under his skin during the exchange. The son of a son of a plumber then made mention of his high merchandise sales of late.

Do you think Cody Rhodes will go over Roman Reigns at WrestleMania?

All quotes from WrestleTalk.

Teddy Long Says Cody Rhodes Can Outshine John Cena Any Day

Teddy Long believes that Cody Rhodes has the ability to outshine someone like John Cena any day.

The WWE Hall Of Famer recently took part in an interview with Sportskeeda’s Riju Dasgupta, where he was asked about Cody Rhodes and his current rise to the top of the WWE card since making his return.

Long had nothing but praise for “The American Nightmare,” going as far as saying that Rhodes could outshine WWE legend John Cena “any day.”

“In my opinion, I think Cody Rhodes can certainly outshine John Cena any day. He’s a great competitor. I’ve known Cody Rhodes since he was a little bitty boy playing on the softball team.

“His father, Dusty Rhodes, God rest his soul, gave me my first job, so I never will forget that, but Cody Rhodes, I guarantee you, will outshine John Cena any day.”

Cody Rhodes won the 2023 Royal Rumble

Rhodes has certainly had a tremendous run since returning to WWE. He made a surprise return to the company last year at WrestleMania, being revealed as Seth Rollins’ surprise opponent at the event.

This marked the beginning of a tremendous rivalry between the pair, which ultimately ended with a pectoral injury for Rhodes that forced him to be sidelined for the next several months.

Rhodes made his triumphant return at the Royal Rumble last month, winning the Men’s Royal Rumble match and punching his ticket to the WrestleMania 39 main event.

Now, he’s slated to headline the card against Roman Reigns, challenging for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. If he wins, he’ll be the first of his family to win a WWE World Title.

Quotes via WrestlingNews.co

Cody Rhodes Walks Back WrestleMania Comment About The Rock

Cody Rhodes is walking back his recent WrestleMania comment about The Rock.

Earlier this month, Rhodes noted that, in regards to rumors of The Rock coming back to face off against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39, the options WWE has at the moment without “The Great One” are even better.

However, it looks like now Rhodes is walking those comments back a bit. Speaking to Sports Illustrated, Rhodes said if The Rock can make it to WrestleMania in any capacity, he’d love for it to happen.

He added that he has a ton of respect for The Rock and everything he’s done for the industry – allowing them to have a WrestleMania at all.

“I said the other day, and I said it in a pretty nice way, ‘all respect to the Rock, I like what we have.’ I’m going to walk that one back. WrestleMania is amazing. If Rock decides to come to WrestleMania, please.

“Simply because, we’re able to have WrestleMania because of someone like The Rock, and Rock was able to have WrestleMania because of somebody like (Hulk) Hogan, and because of the Dustys [Dusty Rhodes], the Flairs [Ric Flair], the Pipers [Roddy Piper].

“Our industry doesn’t just exist, the content is so important in keeping it healthy and keeping it going and respecting these long-time fans. I hope I didn’t talk out of turn because I absolutely adore The Rock and would love it if he was present in any setting.

“His family is massively important to what we do and if Rock decides to show up to WrestleMania, Hollywood would love that. I will say, if Rock doesn’t come to WrestleMania, we have an unbelievable card, if not the best ever, at the biggest ever in terms of the financials, the gates, two days in Hollywood. It’s a win-win.”

Cody Rhodes zayn
WWE

Rhodes won this year’s Men’s Royal Rumble match, punching his ticket to the main event of WrestleMania 39 in Los Angeles, California. He’ll challenge Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.

Of course, those plans could always change, as Reigns will first defend his titles against Sami Zayn at the upcoming Elimination Chamber PLE. It remains to be seen if the eventual World Title match at WrestleMania could turn into a Triple Threat match given the popularity of Sami Zayn and The Bloodline storyline.

Quotes via NoDQ.com

Cody Rhodes Planning Indie Wrestling Tribute at Future WWE Premium Live Event

Cody Rhodes could be just 45 days away from becoming the next Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, but the American Nightmare hasn’t forgotten where he’s come from.

After choosing to part ways with WWE in 2016, Rhodes took his talents to various independent promotions and increased his star power outside WWE.

It was as a much bigger star that Rhodes founded AEW, and the person once considered mid-card for life returned to WWE as a main eventer in April 2022.

Tribute

As we’ve seen in his promos about his father and his exceptional segment earlier this month with Paul Heyman, history means everything to Cody Rhodes.

While speaking to Peter Rosenberg on Hot 97, Cody stated that he hopes to honor all the independent promotions during his WWE absence.

“Small spoiler, I guess, I was trying to come up with this idea for a weight belt for a very specific P.L.E. or pay-per-view, whatever you wanna call it where I wrote everybody independent promotion I worked at on it, because that was the most important thing I did was this connection with these fans and getting to know them and grassroots and that became really my bread and butter.”

Cody Rhodes.

WrestleMania

While Rhodes didn’t specify which event he planned this tribute on, the most likely guess would be WrestleMania 39.

On the show, Rhodes will face Roman Reigns and looks to dethrone the Tribal Chief, who is now in his 900th day as WWE Universal Champion.

If Cody goes ahead with this tribute, it will be interesting to see what WWE allows, as Cody has worked for some pretty big names (and competition to WWE) including AEW and Impact Wrestling.

h/t – BodySlam

Roman Reigns Responds To Emotional Cody Rhodes – Sami Zayn Segment

Cody Rhodes and Sami Zayn participated in a highly praised segment on this week’s episode of Raw, but Roman Reigns is not impressed.

This week’s episode of the Red Branded Show saw Zayn jumping the barricade once again. He called out Rhodes and asked if Cody really believes Sami can beat the Tribal Chief at Elimination Chamber.

The American Nightmare said that it doesn’t matter what anyone else believes. He said that he is here to finish his story and told Zayn to finish his own.

Roman Reigns Responds

This segment between the two title challengers received high praise from the fans but it failed to impress the WWE Undisputed World Heavyweight Champion.

Roman Reigns posted a message on Twitter saying that everybody thinks they’re the guy until they meet the guy. He targeted Sami Zayn in the video, saying he’ll see the Honorary Uce in Montreal:

“If you gotta have a pep rally to convince each other that you can beat me? You don’t stand a chance. I’ll see ya in Montreal.”

Cody Rhodes will be main eventing WrestleMania 39 after winning the Royal Rumble. Sami Zayn on the other hand, is set to challenge Reigns for the Undisputed titles this Saturday, February 18 at Elimination Chamber from Montreal, Canada.

Cody Rhodes Reveals The Only ‘Bummer’ About Royal Rumble Win

Cody Rhodes won the 2023 Men’s Royal Rumble match, but there was one aspect of it that was a bummer for the former AEW star.

Rhodes recently spoke to The New York Post about his big win last month. As noted, Rhodes actually popped his eardrum during the match.

It was especially disappointing given Rhodes just returned from injury, and wanted to avoid getting back on the medical list.

Thankfully, the injury wasn’t significant enough to sideline him again. However, Rhodes did explain how much of a bummer it was that he couldn’t fully hear the packed Alamodome crowd after his career-highlight victory.

“So if you’ve ever had your ear drum popped, it’s a ringing sound, it’s unmistakable, there’s air blowing out of it. I was just tickled by it, hilariously, that it happened because I’m finally back, came back two months early.

“The last thing we need to do is get hurt because you don’t want to be on that medical list. Anyways, I was able to get through it just fine, just a tiny little perforation. The funny thing was on a night that you’re surrounded by 60,000 people in the Alamodome, excited, you’d like to hear them, and I could only hear half of them.

“That was a little bit of a [worrisome moment]. I could feel them, if that makes any sense, but you’d like to hear them more. That was a night that was a bummer not to fully hear it.”

Cody Rhodes backstage at Royal Rumble

Rhodes has already punched his ticket to the main event of WrestleMania 39. Currently, he’s slated to challenge Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. However, that could all change should Sami Zayn pull off an upset over “The Tribal Chief” at Elimination Chamber.

Of course, WWE could always opt to make the title bout a Triple Threat match at WrestleMania involving Reigns, Rhodes, and Zayn.

It will be interesting to see how the World Title picture develops as the Road To WrestleMania continues.

Quotes via WrestleZone

Cody Rhodes Has a Very Different Mentality This Year: “Calm and Cool”

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

Cody Rhodes Details His Current Relationship With Triple H

There are many aspects that make Cody Rhodes’ journey back to WWE very unique. One such aspect is his relationship with Triple H. He took some serious shots at the WWE Executive during the initial days of AEW, only to now find himself working under the guidance of The Game after his return.

The American Nightmare was asked about his relationship with the Chief Content Officer during an interview with Ariel Helwani. Rhodes claimed that the relationship has been great because neither of them are trying to force a friendship:

“So far? A plus. In terms of not, I hope this isn’t too divulgent, nothing has been forced. I’m not trying to force my ideas or a friendship. He’s not trying [either]. Everything he has said to me, or we’ve talked about has been very deliberate. Very much I get the sense [that] he’s expecting me to hit a home run every time. [I’m like] ‘Okay,’ I have had great education and great experience. I want to go out there and do that every time.”

‘It’s Been A Very Good Relationship’: Cody Rhodes

Cody Rhodes said that he expects struggles in the future but his relationship with Triple H so far has been good. Addressing his time in AEW, the former TNT champion explained that his actions were aimed at lifting the whole industry up:

“We’ve yet to really hit a road bump. They’re gonna come. I keep using different sports analogies, but we’re gonna fumble the ball. We’re gonna have these moments. They’re gonna come but right now, it’s been a very good relationship. Because it’s not performative. Right, it’s you call the play, and I’m gonna go out there and try to do the damn thing.

I’ve really enjoyed that because I don’t think there was necessarily bad blood. But that was a contentious thing on Wednesdays in a way for a while. If anything, I hope he would look at that and respect the hustle. I don’t think I’ve ever said respect the hustle. Respect what I was out there trying to do. Cause what I was out there trying to do then was for everybody.”

You can check out Cody Rhodes’ full interview below:

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If you use any quotes from the article, please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription

Cody Rhodes Is Open to Possible Triple Threat Match at WWE WrestleMania 39

Cody Rhodes vs. Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns.

Cody Rhodes Vs. Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Sami Zayn.

Why not both?

Since winning the Men’s Royal Rumble match last month, it has been known that the American Nightmare will challenge for WWE’s richest prize at WrestleMania 39, but who he’ll face remains uncertain.

Elimination Chamber

At this time, the WrestleMania 39 main event will see Rhodes attempt to dethrone Reigns and end his historic reign as WWE’s sole World Champion.

Before that though, Reigns will defend his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Sami Zayn at this weekend’s Elimination Chamber event.

During last week’s Raw, Rhodes said he believes Zayn can defeat Reigns in Montreal, and reiterated that point this week in a face-to-face segment with Sami.

Triple Threat

While the Royal Rumble winner has traditionally competed in singles action at WrestleMania, Rhodes is open to the idea of facing both Zayn and Reigns in Los Angeles.

Speaking on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Rhodes was asked about the possibility of a triple-threat match.

“I don’t really have a preference [between Reigns and Zayn.] Solely because I want to wrestle the best. People wanted a contender forever. So if two show up, don’t be mad. Don’t make it about A or B, or B or A, or one or two. Enjoy it all. That’s really been kind of the challenge. I can’t begrudge a dude getting super hot. I have no preference in terms of the direction it goes.

“I have no preference in terms of the direction it goes.”

Cody Rhodes.

“I really look forward to the moments when I’m in there, if they happen, Sami, whether that’s just on the road to WrestleMania. I think it’s different than people think. I think he’s doing amazing.”

Rhodes remained aware that what happens this Saturday at WWE Elimination Chamber could significantly affect his WrestleMania future.

“I feel like I’ve been able to really do some great stuff too. So bring it all together. Who knows what happens in Montreal? Who knows what happens at WrestleMania?”

Cody Rhodes.

If WWE does have a triple-threat match at WrestleMania, it will be the eighth time the stipulation will be used at a WrestleMania for a World Championship (2004, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2015-albeit thanks to Seth Rollins, and 2021.)

h/t – Fightful

Cody Rhodes Addresses Criticism Of His Royal Rumble Return

Cody Rhodes made his big return to WWE at Royal Rumble. After staying away from wrestling for 7 months, the American Nightmare picked things up right where he left off. He won the battle royal to earn a shot at the Undisputed World Championship at WrestleMania 39. His return, however, wasn’t free of criticism. Many fans thought that it would have been better to keep his comeback a surprise.

The former AEW star addressed this criticism during an interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour. Rhodes explained why he preferred the way things went down, saying that he wanted to call his shots:

“The Rumble was about, in my opinion, as a character that people like on the show, and I’ve been a character on shows that they don’t like but as someone currently, they like and vibe with and I really love and like them. I wanted to call my shot.

Calling your shots sometimes makes it obvious. Like ‘oh, hey, they’re making it seem like he’s gonna win the Royal Rumble.’ I wanted to call my shot because I still believe in those type of wrestlers. The type I grew up with, who said something and did it. That doesn’t happen that often in wrestling.”

‘It Just Felt Good’: Cody Rhodes

Cody Rhodes before his surgery

Cody Rhodes noted how he has been talking about winning the world championship since he returned to the company. He mentioned that many fans wanted his return to be a surprise, but the wrestling veteran explained that he felt good sharing the story of his return with fans:

“I’ve been telling you since WrestleMania, this is what I want. I want to win this championship that my dad never got his hands on. Then I want to start a whole new chapter. I’m wrapping up something that started in 1978, seven years before I was born. 77 maybe actually, but I want to wrap this up, and then wrap that part up for me. Then start a whole new chapter. I kind of stand by that.

There was a lot of people like ‘maybe it should have been a surprise.’ [I’m like] ‘Yeah, that might have been really cool.’ But it just felt good about telling them ‘Hey, I’m coming back’ It was really nerve-wracking and anxious. Watching those vignettes, because they’re not vignettes. It’s real surgery footage and real PT footage at my gym. I didn’t want to let anyone down and I felt like I didn’t.”

You can watch Cody Rhodes’ full interview below:

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Kofi Kingston Once Talked Cody Rhodes Out of Getting a Regrettable WWE Tattoo

Cody Rhodes got made fun of when he decided to get a giant neck tattoo in 2020 ahead of his match against MJF at the AEW Revolution event. Many fans laughed at him for doing so. However, it’s just part of his look now. 

It turns out that Rhodes had another questionable tattoo idea years ago. He discussed this while making an appearance on ‘My Mom’s Basement with Robbie Fox.’

Rhodes revealed that he almost got the faction logo of Legacy tattooed on his hand prior to their Triple Threat showdown at WrestleMania 26 in 2010 when he took on Randy Orton and Ted Debiase. 

Luckily for Rhodes, Kofi Kingston stepped in and talked him out of it. 

The Tat

“I almost got a tattoo on my hand of the Legacy logo before the match. I want to say, and I hope I’m giving credit to the right guy, Kofi Kingston was the one who told me absolutely not to do that.

Like, yeah, Legacy was cool. Yes, I was excited about having this first real WrestleMania, but it’s not that place on the card that you need this tattoo. I thought, okay. I also liked the L. I thought it was a pretty cool logo, but I didn’t get the tattoo, so Kofi was right.”

Rhodes is expected to challenge Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Title at WrestleMania 39. 

H/T to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription

Cody Rhodes & Sami Zayn Raise the Stakes in WWE’s Red Hot Main Event Scene

Sami Zayn called out Cody Rhodes on this week’s WWE Monday Night Raw episode. 

This was days before Zayn steps into the ring to challenge Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns for his title in the main event of Saturday’s Elimination Chamber PLE event. 

Some fans have felt that Zayn should be in Rhodes’ spot, as the former AEW star made his return from injury last month by winning the 30-Man Royal Rumble Match to earn the right to challenge Reigns for his title at WrestleMania 39. 

The Segment

Zayn said he came to Raw to hear Rhodes say again that it’s looking more like Reigns won’t make it to Mania as champion and Zayn would be in the spot to make it Cody Rhodes vs. Sami Zayn at WrestleMania. 

Zayn wanted to know that Rhodes believed Zayn could beat Reigns. 

Rhodes stated he believed Zayn could win this Saturday and asked Zayn if he really believed he can. Zayn said he didn’t know because he’s been in the trenches with The Bloodline, and Reigns somehow finds a way to win. Zayn said he believes he is compatible of winning and worthy of being in the headliner role at WrestleMania 39 but isn’t sure whether he can walk out as champion on Saturday night.

Rhodes stated there are cracks in The Bloodline because of Sami Zayn and they both need to finish their own stories. Rhodes told him that he didn’t want to see Zayn next week because he wanted to see him at WrestleMania 39. 

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