Cody Rhodes On If There Is Extra Pressure Against Okada Following The Okada - Kenny Omega Matches
Cody Rhodes did a media conference call on Tuesday to promote his upcoming match for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship against Kazuchika Okada at Saturday's New Japan Pro Wrestling G1 Special live from Long Beach, California. WrestlingINC.com owner Raj Giri was on the call and asked him if he saw any increased pressure in his match with Okada given how great Kenny Omega's first two matches were with him.
"I definitely see the pressure. I don't know if I want to give into the pressure," said Cody. "[The] Wrestle Kingdom match was one of the just coolest things I ever saw. And one of my favorite parts about it is I got to sit with an older wrestler at the time and watch it and this older wrestler, who will remain nameless, was complaining about some of the things they were doing being so dangerous and then getting right back up. But then he legit changed his story about three quarters of the way and he even said, 'Well the people are as hot as they can be so what do I know?' And that was really cool because we see that discussion on social media all the time about you know, that traditional style versus what is happening today and it was crazy to see somebody turn. To see someone's performance, someone's painting, you looked at it and started it and they didn't like it and by the time you they were done, you were moved by it."
Okada over Omega in 46:45 at Wrestle Kingdom 11 in Tokyo Dome earlier this year is considered one of the greatest matches of all-time. The bout earned an unprecedented 6 stars from pro wrestling historian Dave Meltzer.
"What an accomplishment for those two," said Cody. "And then most recently at Dominion, going 60 minutes."
"No, I see the pressure. I won't give into the pressure because an Okada/Cody match is going to be different," Cody explained. "A world title ? a world champion versus a world champion match ? is going to be different. The fact that these matches or this match isn't taking place in Japan, this is happening here in America is going to create a different atmosphere. So it just does me a little bit of a disservice to feel that pressure and give into it."
Cody has his sights set high for his main even match against Okada, explaining he doesn't want anything less than what he and Omega did at Wrestle Kingdom 11 and NJPW Dominion in June.
"I certainly don't want ? I don't want to have anything less, for sure," said Cody. "I just am trying my damnedest to not constantly be reminded of how wonderful ? what they did was ? because it was wonderful."
On Saturday, Cody will headline New Japan's G1 Special in Long Beach, California against Kazuchika Okada in a bout for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. Make sure to join us for coverage right here at WrestlingINC.com.