WWE Champ Cody Rhodes Opens Up About 'Chasing The Ghost' Of His Father

While Cody Rhodes might be Undisputed WWE Champion at present, not a day goes by where he can shake the fact that he is a second-generation wrestler. Like the Charlotte Flairs and Rocks of the world, Rhodes has consistently tried to battle the fact that no matter how good he may be on any given day, to some, he will always live in the shadow of his father, "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes.

Speaking with Complex, Rhodes opened up about how he always feels like he is chasing the achievements of his father, both in and out of the ring, and even compared his struggles to the Theoden character from "The Lord of the Rings" series. Rhodes knows that his father is proud of what he has done with his life, but he still wakes up every morning, in his words, "chasing the ghost."

"In 'Return of the King,' Théoden dies heroically in battle. I remember he says this spiel about how he can go to his father and his father's father unashamed. For me, I have woke up every day chasing the ghost. Chasing the ghost as a performer and a competitor. I have never had a problem internally saying, I want to be better. The most important thing, though, that he did in terms of me trying to be better, and it is the most uphill battle for me, is he was a superb father. He basically didn't work so that he could watch me amateur wrestle. I get up every morning when I say chasing the ghost, it's not negative, it's a positive. I know how far ahead he is, and I know there's still things that I could do to say, 'I got you.'"