Cody Rhodes Addresses His Responsibilities As WWE Champion
Cody Rhodes doesn’t like saying he is tired, but he does have a lot to do as the WWE Champion.
The first reign for Cody Rhodes as the Undisputed WWE Champion began at WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia. Since then, Cody has had televised title defenses over the likes of AJ Styles, Logan Paul, Solo Sikoa, and Kevin Owens.
That victory over Owens was the opening match at the WWE Bash In Berlin PLE. After Cody overcame a knee injury to get the win, he hugged Owens, who certainly looked like a man who could have a jealous rage fit at some point soon even though Owens is one of Cody’s best friends.
At the WWE Bash in Berlin post-show press conference, Cody was in boss mode since he talked about how strong the company’s business was at the show and informed the world that WWE’s Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque wasn’t there so he could see his daughter off to college.
Cody was asked if being the WWE Champion for the last five months has lived up to what he expected.
“I dreamed…this was a big thing I wanted, to win the WWE Title and be the first Rhodes with the biggest prize in our game. I can’t say it’s not been what I envisioned as much as, I could have never guessed, even with a lifetime of building up to it, I could have never guessed the amount of responsibility that is handed to you in terms of how you go about doing the live events, how you go about doing your press.”
“Every piece of that, I thought I would have a lifetime to prepare for it. I remember Roman Reigns actually said something to me in an interview, face-to-face, he was talking about the idea of ‘if.’ ‘If’ I was to get to the edge of the mountain and actually do this, that I’d be really tired. I don’t like the T word, at all. I don’t believe in it in our industry. I think the grind is a good thing.”
“I can say there was definitely some truth to what he was saying. It’s a different type of responsibility. I’m still having the most fun I’ve ever had in my life. I really am. With every step you make, it affects the WWE. That’s just a lot of responsibility.”
“If anything, I hope it’s made me better as, of course, a pro wrestler, but I hope it’s made me better as someone in the company of WWE and my business savvy, as Mr. Heyman always calls it in terms of navigating the future in pro wrestling once I officially hang up the boots, if that makes any sense.”
Cody Rhodes Has Battled Roman Reigns Behind The Scenes Too
While speaking at the post-Bash In Berlin press conference, Cody Rhodes also spoke about being the WWE “poster boy” and how he has battled Roman Reigns behind the scenes as well as in the ring.
“The idea of being a poster boy at all – my gosh, that’s an amazing feeling. That’s special. It will end at some point. But I will certainly put up every bit of a fight. And it’s not just the OTC, it’s not just Roman Reigns. This is John Cena’s farewell run.
I am up there in very rare air with special characters. People like CM Punk. The way I would put it – it’s a great problem to have for WWE. And I think both the man you mentioned and myself, we like that.
We have pitted ourselves against each other not just at WrestleMania in the main event, but in every aspect behind the scenes too. And not in a dishonest way – in an honest way. Better man’s gonna win. And that’s a good problem to have.”
The next WWE Premium Live Event is Bad Blood on October 5th in Cody’s hometown of Atlanta. It’s not known yet who Cody may be facing on that show.