Cody Rhodes On If He Thinks Mike Tyson Will Fight Again, Backstage Moment With Tyson
Days after winning the TNT Championship, AEW Executive Vice President Cody Rhodes returned to The Rich Eisen Show to talk about one of the most talked about aspects of the match, Mike Tyson. Tyson was there to present the TNT Championship to the winner at Double or Nothing, and Cody discussed Tyson's involvement as well as a personal moment he shared with him.
"Mike had come to the first Double or Nothing which was at the MGM Grand a year ago," Cody said. "He was a fan of pro wrestling and the industry, and he had wanted to do something. And this seemed like a really great thing for him to do. He went above and beyond. His obligation was to bring the TNT Championship and present it to the winner of the brand new belt, and he also, you know in true Mike fashion and in true shenanigan pro wrestling fashion, chased off Jake 'The Snake' Roberts. And that was a beautiful moment.
"I haven't told anyone this, but I shared a nice moment with Mike behind the scenes where he used a little of my baby oil to put on his chest and his arms, and I helped him rub it in. It was actually a pretty surreal pretty surreal, but I wanted him to look as jacked as possible. That guy looks great, by the way. Absolutely great, just so fun to have him."
Cody explained the moment and said that along with winning the title, helping put baby oil on Tyson was a big moment for him over this past weekend.
"So he asked for the baby oil because I think he saw the other wrestlers or typically putting on a little baby oil or water, you know, wrestling tradition," Cody said. "I made sure he had it, but before we went out, he just kind of sprayed. It was a little spray bottle of it. He just sprayed it on his chest and his arms.
"You gotta give the classic 'Nature Boy' Buddy Rogers before the 'Nature Boy Ric Flair', where you rub that stuff in, and I was able to assist in that moment. A real bond over that moment. I mean I was doing the same thing. That and of course, the fact that he handed me the title were big walkaway moments for me over the weekend."
AEW President Tony Khan recently discussed his friendship with Tyson. That friendship has allowed Tyson to use the some of the Jacksonville Jaguars' facilities, and Eisen asked Cody to speculate on whether Tyson is preparing for a comeback fight as many have been speculating.
"It looks like Mike is going to fight," Cody speculated. "I know he's close personal friends with with Tony Khan, and Tony has offered him the run of the mill in terms of I saw him pushing the big dumbbells in the in the weight room at the stadium. I saw him training with Vitor Belfort on strike. So even when he was here for something fun and character driven, he was training for something, and I believe they're pretty close to maybe announcing a deal.
"I could be wrong, but people want to see Iron Mike. They want to see an Iron Mike knockout. They want to see him knock somebody out. So I mean 53 but in great shape, I think it's a unique story. I think we all kind of want to see it. Right?"
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit The Rich Eisen Show with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.