Cody Rhodes wants a match with John Cena, and he let the 16-time world champion know.
Cena made his return to WWE on the March 6 episode of WWE RAW. After a heated confrontation with Austin Theory, Cena agreed to face him at WWE WrestleMania 39. He then introduced Cody Rhodes to the live crowd, and they shared a brief moment.
In an interview with Stadium Astro, Rhodes was asked about his moment with Cena on RAW, and he clarified that Cena gave him the advice about rewarding the fans’ noise in 2008 or 2009. He then noted that when he spoke to Cena on RAW, he told him that he wanted to share the ring with him.
“Actually, that was something he told me in the car when I was driving him around in 2008, 2009. What he said to me on RAW was, I was telling him if he ever does another match, I would like it to be with him, and he, I think you could hear him pretty well, he said, ‘I can’t promise that.’ But I also didn’t want to make it about myself in that moment, so I just endlessly thanked him, and then he was at the Nightmare Factory like a week later, talking to our students.”
Rhodes then elaborated on rewarding the fans’ noise and explained that it was the way the former world champion approached performing in front of live crowds. He noted that, as wrestlers, it’s important to remember that the matches are for the fans.
“That was something in the car that, it’s not just his axiom,” Rhodes said. “It was a genuine way he approached live events and shows, was rewarding their noise. A simpler way to look at that is, kids come to a show, and they see their guy hurt, and they see their guy down, they start clapping. They start clapping. They want something from him. He was a big proponent in always doing something so that they know, if they do something, he’ll be up for them, or he’ll at least try.
“I think looking at the flow of a live event, looking at the flow of a premium live event, there is something huge to that. We can’t just do these matches in the ring, bell to bell, for each other. We’re doing them for this audience that is sitting there in the building that night, as well as worldwide on television. You have to try and step into their shoes. You’re so focused on doing what you’re doing, sure. But you have to step in their shoes, and what do they want? Can I give it to them, or is it my job to take it away from them? That was just something that always sat with me, and when in practice, always worked.”
Rhodes won the 2023 Men’s Royal Rumble, and he will challenge Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania 39.
The full interview is available here:
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