WWE Intercontinental champion Cody Rhodes recently spoke with the Toledo Free Press and spoke about a number of topics, including what it was like growing up the son of Dusty Rhodes, starting off his career as a referee and what he’s learned from John Cena. Here are some highlights of what Cody said about:
Growing Up The Son of Dusty Rhodes:
“For me, I didn’t really pick up on the fact that he was, like, Dusty Rhodes, until about the time that I was in middle school. For me, he was always just dad. He was retired, not really as heavily involved. We got outside of the suburbs a little bit, and through other friends of mine’s parents I figured out how much that he’d done in the wrestling industry. I’d been to a lot of shows where he was a prominent figure, but I didn’t know how much he had done, especially in the late ’80s.
Being a Wrestling Fan As A Kid:
“I was a fan, but I don’t think I knew how much of a fan I was.”
His Decision to Become a Wrestler When he was a Teen:
“It was hard for my mother to take, because I never explored the options of doing anything else. It was just like it was set in stone. I think that’s what made it worse for even her — she couldn’t even say anything to change my mind.”
Starting out as a Referee in Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling:
“For me, it was just as exciting as being the one wrestling. The referee has a lot of control that I don’t think a lot of people realize in the ring. And I got the same rush performing as I did as a referee, especially as a teen.”
Getting Experience At Ohio Valley Wrestling:
“I also got a very firm grasp on how big of a fan I was. I was told when I was going to Louisville that you’re gonna eat, sleep and breathe wrestling. And I thought I’d have some outside interests. And from the time I entered, I never had any outside interests. When we weren’t at [training], we were at somebody’s apartment, watching WWE 24/7. And when we weren’t there, we were eating, and I was learning about diet and training — that was something I never had any access to. My dad was not a body guy. And in this day and age, when a company has evolved to where a lot of the specimens you see on TV are carved from stone, that was all new to me.”
Learning from John Cena:
“I spent a year driving Cena around when I was on the Raw brand. The goal was to learn a lot about him, what he does in the ring, how he has gotten where he has gotten, but also to learn a lot about merchandising and marketing, pretty much all the things he does. And I’d say I learned a great deal on what it takes outside of the ring. He’s noted as being one of the most hard-working people in entertainment, and he is. If you want his job, you have to work as hard as he does. And it is much easier said than done.”