Cody Rhodes Calls Triple H A "Role Model", Talks Symbolic Throne Smash

Cody Rhodes spoke with Kenny McIntosh of Inside the Ropes on how he considers Triple H a role model. Rhodes also looked back at Double or Nothing in 2019 when he symbolically smashed the throne that is often attributed to "The King of Kings."

Rhodes explained Triple H was not only his favorite wrestler, but an inspiration to be both a wrestler and an executive for a promotion.

"So I don't know if I should share this, but, at some point, it's going to come off my chest: Triple H is probably my favorite wrestler and was a role model," Rhodes revealed. "I only watched from a distance, but he reminded me a lot of my dad in the sense that I watched him do all the work, be this executive, and then go out there — and he was only part-time for the most part other than when I first started and had that run with him and Teddy and Shawn. He really was a model in terms of, 'OK, you can do both, you can do both, but you have to be really disciplined. You have to take it really seriously.' And that doesn't get you many friends when you're the Hermione Granger of the company, and you just take it so seriously and are just a little bookworm."

Before his match against Dustin Rhodes at Double or Nothing in 2019, Brandi Rhodes handed Cody a sledgehammer to destroy a throne that was set up on the stage. Rhodes said he wanted to make a statement, and couldn't think of a better way to do it.

"I think I wanted to make a statement on what we were doing, and I think what we did was clearly the biggest statement we could make," Rhodes recalled. "Afterwards, you know, I get really long-winded. Sometimes I say the wrong thing and, in this executive role, I've put my foot in my mouth so many times, whereas when I was a talent I could get away with it. Talents can lie. Talents can exaggerate. When you're any type of management, you're held accountable, which is a lesson for me to learn.

"But, yeah, I wanted to be clear what we were doing. You mentioned the barbs back and forth — that's part of what we do. Trash talk is part of what we do, but also when they counter-programmed us for no reason other than to split our audience, I didn't want to meet that in a cowardly fashion. I wanted to flat out say, 'OK, well, great. Our show is still going to be better and as crazy as this is, we're going to win. So if you want to have this moment in time on Wednesday nights where we put all eyes on wrestling, we're going to win.'

"I don't want to go into any battle with the idea that we're going to lose. I'm face-forward in the company on so many things, so I wanted to go in and let them know I am willing to fight. I am willing to openly smash this iconic symbol, and what it stood for and stands for to some fans. Yeah, there's so much to that moment. That may be my favorite moment. ... So I never, ever will regret that moment because when I turned to head back up the ramp, everybody in the building knew what we were about to do and everybody wanted us to do it, and we did it, and we wanted to make a statement. So that was a statement."

Cody is set to face Malakai Black at AEW Dynamite: Homecoming on August 4.