Cody Rhodes Says WWE Moment Rekindled His Love Of Wrestling

Cody Rhodes has reflected on one of the biggest nights of his career.

After helping set up and then establish AEW, Cody Rhodes returned to WWE at WrestleMania 38 as a mystery opponent for Seth Rollins. The comeback meant a great deal to Rhodes who had left the company after becoming frustrated with his position in 2016.

As soon as he became a free agent Rhodes set about reinventing himself and stepped in the ring for the likes of TNA, Ring of Honor, and NJPW before eventually helping found AEW.

During the most recent episode of So, What Do You Want To Talk About? with The Miz, Rhodes was asked about whether he felt wrestling’s popularity surge when AEW was being put together.

“I feel I was so caught up in the moment of the revolution that was happening, and wanting to be the guy they trusted the most with the revolution, wanting to be the guy they trusted the most when all these changes are happening. The world is opening up and wrestlers are coming straight from the independents as they are to a big time TV setting, I just wanted to be the face of all of that.

I feel like I focused heavily on it, not realizing, ‘Is this working? Is it not working? Is this taking off?’ Especially with AEW, I was very in the moment. ‘We’re going to do this. It’s going to be great.’

By the time I came back at WrestleMania, my feeling was, ‘I think I’ll be well-received, but I might also be booed as the guy who went away and did all these things.’ I would never say I was just happy to be there, but at that point in my career, it was about providing for my family and the best thing for my family.

Then, as soon as I came back, instance to walking out, it had rekindled, not just my love for pro wrestling, but it rekindled the feeling of ‘I can get to the top. It’s not lost yet. I still have a shot at it,'”

Cody Rhodes Set For Familiar Challenge

At SummerSlam Cody Rhodes will put his Undisputed WWE Title on the line against Solo Sikoa.

Despite getting the better of Roman Reigns at WrestleMania, Rhodes has continued to battle The Bloodline which has taken on a new and vicious form. In Reigns’ absence, Sikoa has assumed control of the group, recruiting Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, and Jacob Fatu along the way. He also brutally dismissed Jimmy Uso — A move that could yet come back to haunt him.

Elsewhere at SummerSlam, Damian Priest will defend the World Heavyweight Title against Gunther, and CM Punk and Drew McIntyre finally meet in singles action. There is also the small matter of the war between Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan for the Women’s World Title, while Nia Jax will look to claim the Women’s Title from Bayley.

H/t to Fightful