Cody Rhodes Doesn’t Regret Taking Shots At WWE

Cody Rhodes has no regrets about the shots he’s taken at WWE, including demolishing Triple H’s throne at AEW’s first pay-per-view.

In May 2019, AEW produced their first pay-per-view event, Double Or Nothing, and changed the wrestling landscape for years to come. On the show, Cody Rhodes faced his brother Dustin in a highly-acclaimed bout that is still talked about today.

Determined to make a statement, Cody Rhodes used his entrance to fire a shot at WWE. ‘The American Nightmare took a sledgehammer to a full-sized replica of the throne Triple H has used in the past. Following his return to WWE at WrestleMania 38, Cody Rhodes was asked by Ariel Helwani if he regrets any of the jabs he sent the company’s way.

“Hell no, no, because that’s what he would have done. One of the things I remember, I don’t think I was even Stardust yet. I ran up to Gorilla position, I’m huffing and puffing. I was mad about something, but not really mad, and I knew I should speak to Vince or Hunter. I spoke to Hunter and he said, ‘I totally understand,’ he had his headphones on and was taking time off this segment to have this conversation, ‘Maybe, go in the writer’s room right now and rattle the cages. Make a scene. You’re not getting in trouble, go in and let them know.’

“He wasn’t passing me off as much as he sincerely was…the door has their names on it, knock and say your piece. What’s the worst that can happen? Doing this without fear. It’s very easy to be scared. We’re surrounded by giants in the business. Vince is a giant in the business. Undertaker, Steve Austin. We have to get ours. We have to keep the pot going and grow into these top stars ourselves. I don’t think I’d change a thing. I definitely wouldn’t change the throne.”

Rhodes went on to reveal that Triple H was the last person to come and speak to him on his bus before he made his WrestleMania entrance. His only regret is that he won’t get to face ‘The Game’ again in the ring.

“Ultimately, I think the regret is that it doesn’t look like we’ll get to clash. That’s life, but for him to be the last one to come on the bus before I walked out and to see one of my closest friends, I hate saying he’s a friend, QT Marshall, to see him see that moment and to see my wife see that moment, that was the heaviest spot of the night.”

“All that aside, I broke the throne, I talked all this trash, I stand by what I did. I think it was what needed to happen. I was angry, I’m still angry. Not with him. He was somebody who helped teach me. I got in there with Taker, Shawn (Michaels), Hunter right at the end when they were active. Just in ten days, what I learned from Undertaker was unbelievable knowledge that I teach at my school now.”

“Also, say what you want, Hunter may think I’m a dork and may not have the respect and admiration for me that I have for him. He did take care of my dad. I can smash all the thrones in the world, that is one I can’t pay back. Maybe the only way I can come close is to be here and deliver on a high level for him.”

Cody Rhodes decided not to share what Triple H said to him on the bus, but says he’ll value the conversation forever.

“I don’t know if I want to share it. I can say, I thought we would just shake hands, but it wasn’t a handshake as much as it was a hug. I don’t want to repeat what he said, but I will value it forever. You need something like that before you go out. The last thing you need is for something to go wrong. I was really glad he was the final one and I think they made it that he was the final one.”

“It’s Triple H. There’s that swag about him. I hope we cross paths in the ring in some capacity, not asking for anything that can’t happen. I’m ready to play the game, but not nice. He was my favourite, I don’t know how it happened, but he was. If you watched me wrestle in AEW, it was clear that he was my favourite.”

H/T to Fightful for the above transcription.