Cody Rhodes On What He Is Most Proud Of In AEW
On a recent episode of the Wrestle Buddies podcast with Mat Elfring and Chris Hayner, AEW EVP Cody Rhodes was interviewed to discuss Double or Nothing and all things AEW.
Rhodes will face Ogogo at Double or Nothing where he will go under his father Dusty's "The American Dream" moniker. He explained what that means to him and used this DC Comic comparison when speaking on what it's like to be a second-generation wrestler.
"There's really only two wrestlers that can call themselves 'The American Dream,' and if I need to do it for a gimmick, it's the wrong thing, but if it's something that organically exists and comes up and it's just that name and it's more thematic and in my soul, not to get all artsy and whatnot, it would be worth it and it would feel good," Cody explained. "So it really just encapsulates everything that's happening, but I was stuck on it. I didn't find a finish that was better, and I believed it.
"And I was excited at the prospect of going by it for one night. I'm a big Batman reader, and all the characters I love in Batman are all of the screwed up Robin's. I love them. Damien's [Wayne] a killer. Dick [Grayson] is pretty much the only one with his head on his shoulders. Jason's [Todd] obviously Red Hood. Tim [Drake] etc. They all got problems, and that's what it's like being a second-generation wrestler.
"My gosh, we're a bunch of broken toys, and this is one of those times where it feels like putting on the cape and cowl. If anyone can do it, and do it justice and do it with honor, it could be me. Maybe not full-time and maybe not long-term, but for one night, I'll be the Batman for one night, and that's what it felt like to me. So looking forward to it."
Rhodes was later asked what he is most proud of with AEW so far.
"The thing I'm most proud of is the thing that as a wrestler actually keeps me on my toes, which is the development of new stars," Rhodes said. "For a long time in wrestling, there's this excuse, 'Gosh, it's so hard to find the next this, the next that.' You're not looking for the next. You're looking for the first, and we've been able to do that. We had a freshman group who now are no longer freshman, and I'm talking about your Jungle Boy's, your MJF's, your Ricky Starks', your Wardlow's, your Britt Baker's etc, etc.
"To be able to just be on the team, whether you had a hand in developing them or whether you just were able to be there as a foil to them and be on the same product with them, that bodes so well for the future of All Elite Wrestling because we know we can replenish. Now wrestlers have a hard time giving up the spot. They really do, but Tony's [Khan] a smart guy. The smartest dude I know, and he's incredibly ear to the ground on wrestling, and the changes, and Darby [Allin], and Orange Cassidy and this and that. The next wave of real stars in wrestling and how you determine what a real star in wrestling is simple, dollars and cents.
"Do people stay on the channel? Do they perk back up when this person is on? Do they buy their merchandise? Do they support them? And we have a group that's showing huge gains in that regards, which is the thing I'm most proud. I could say I'm most proud of that we're still here because it was so unlikely that we would just keep moving at the pace we're moving, especially when we got opposed on Wednesday nights, on our night. And to have the year we had, I'm very excited. I feel really optimistic about any challenge that presents itself now and being a success story within the Warner Media, family and being one of their hot properties, if not their hottest property, is mind-blowing and makes us want to keep doing more, keep going."
Wrestling Inc. will have live coverage of AEW Double Or Nothing this Sunday. You can check out the current card at this link.
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit Wrestle Buddies with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.