Cody Rhodes Explains Why He Wanted To Hide From WWE Legends Before Royal Rumble 2024

This past weekend, Cody Rhodes became the fourth wrestler in WWE history to win back-to-back Royal Rumble matches. Notably, the St. Petersburg/Tampa area where the Royal Rumble event was held was a key stomping ground for Rhodes' father, the late Dusty Rhodes. During the premium live event's post-show press conference, WWE Hall of Famer Diamond Dallas Page asked Rhodes about what it felt like to win the men's Rumble match in "Dusty Rhodes country," and he admitted to being nervous. 

"Earlier today, I saw Steve Keirn and Gerald Brisco," Rhodes said. "And I went and said hello — I saw Dory Funk. I wanted to hide because — it sounds silly — I can't think about him because the fight isn't really for him. He had his fight. If you could ask him, he was as happy as could be with what he accomplished. But the fight now is for my wife, my daughter, my mom. So I don't think about Dusty; even though I can't not think about him, I think about them. And to see them in the front row, and, you know, I never tell them anything that's happening ... the best possible thing ever is to see my mom and her know I'm doing alright."

Rhodes, the winner of the 2023 men's Royal Rumble match, tossed CM Punk out of this year's over-the-top-rope elimination match to become the first wrestler to win consecutive Rumbles since "Stone Cold" Steve Austin in 1998. After the bout, "The American Nightmare," who now has a guaranteed world title shot at WrestleMania 40, indicated that he wants another crack at reigning Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns after failing to take the belt from "The Tribal Chief" at last April's "Show of Shows."

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