WWE Hall Of Famer JBL Explains How Cody Rhodes Is A Throwback (In A Good Way)

Since Cody Rhodes returned to WWE nearly two years ago, his stardom has blown the roof off stadiums worldwide. When he concluded his story at last year's WrestleMania 40 to become the Undisputed WWE Champion, it marked the beginning of a new era of hope. WWE Hall of Famer JBL, who has watched Rhodes transition from a lesser-known talent on the WWE roster to the eminent figure he is today, offers nothing but high praise for the current champion and his knack for bringing an old-school flair to a diverse group of fans.

"Cody is a throwback, and I mean that in a very good way," JBL said on "Something To Wrestle." "He's also a throw forward, which is not a term I just created, in a lot of ways. He's the new generation, but he's also [a] great representative of the old generation...Cody, to me... everything about him is what's good about this business."

At the Royal Rumble earlier this month, Rhodes settled his unnerving score with Kevin Owens in a brutal Ladder Match that saw him successfully retain his championship despite barely being able to stand up to celebrate. Now, he awaits his next challenger, whom he will defend against at WrestleMania 41, as Jey Uso has chosen GUNTHER for his WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Elimination Chamber qualifying matches have been held to determine which of the six competitors will face Rhodes for his title in April. So far, John Cena, CM Punk, Drew McIntyre, and Logan Paul have secured their spots in the Men's Elimination Chamber match on Saturday, March 1. Tonight's "WWE SmackDown" will feature a beastly showdown as Jacob Fatu, Braun Strowman, and Damian Priest compete for the fifth spot. The final spot will be decided on next week's "WWE Raw" between Seth "Freakin" Rollins and Finn Balor.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Something To Wrestle With Bruce Prichard" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.