The man who will forever hold the 'Ring Of Honor' goes over a wide variety of topics.
The former Ring Of Honor World Champion, the "American Nightmare", Cody Rhodes, spoke with FOX Sports earlier today and during the interview, Rhodes gave some insight into him turning on the former IWGP U.S. Champion, Kenny Omega; setting up their match for Ring Of Honor: "SuperCard Of Honor" on April 7th. Prior to Rhodes' new-found success outside of the "machine", he was in WWE working under the "Stardust" character. The character did have its moments, but never truly took off, but Rhodes does not blame WWE for that.
"In WWE, you’re always given the opportunity". he said. "They have such a large brand. You’re on the Network, you’re on YouTube, you’re on USA Network, you’re on so many platforms. I just think it didn’t feel right. I don’t know what specifically, maybe I just wasn’t meant to do Stardust as long as I had done it, so it didn’t feel right. I remember putting some concept art together for what I would look like as just Cody Rhodes, as just Cody, the wrestler."
As those who have done so in the past know well, departing from the WWE and having that "Former WWE superstar" tag can bring a great deal of offers to a wrestler. Rhodes shared that his schedule has become one similar to Ric Flair of the 80's; meaning that Rhodes is seemingly wrestling every single night.
“I had a schedule like 1980's Ric Flair, just a dumb schedule, just arduous. The problem was I was so used to driving from town to town to town like you do in WWE because you do your ‘loop’ in circumference of where TV is going to be filmed. These independent shows, I was getting on a plane every morning and flying cross-country. Sometimes no shower, taking a red-eye from San Francisco to make a show on the other side of the country, or even to get to the United Kingdom. I went straight from my first Wrestle Kingdom to the airport to fly to the UK for a 'What Culture Pro Wrestling' show."
The former two-time WWE Intercontinental Champion would go on to state that the climax for him & Omega's issue was planned long before the actual turn happened. The build for it was established last summer after Omega won the IWGP U.S. Title at the G1 Special, but Cody revealed to FOX Sports that this has been the talk between the group (The Elite) for quite some time.
“I’m not capable of being in a group where I’m not the leader. I did it once earlier in my career with Legacy and that was cool because I was young and green and a rookie in the industry. But now no more ” Rhodes said. “After a world title run, you can’t really call someone else your leader and I think that is this natural tension, that very really exists, because here he (Omega) is with this reputation of being the best wrestler in the world and here I am with that mainstream appeal that helped gain a bunch of new fans for the Bullet Club."
To read more into FOX Sports' interview with the 'American Nightmare", click here.
