“Right in Front of Me”: Cody Rhodes Recalls Getting Rejected by His Real-Life Friend During an Important Day of the Latter’s Life

The ‘American Nightmare’ Cody Rhodes is the name on everyone’s lips nowadays. He is finally on the cusp of realizing his dream of headlining WrestleMania. A feat that many believe was long due for the second-generation superstar. He has had to toil really hard to get this massive opportunity at the annual showpiece.

Rhodes enjoys a great rapport with many of his peers. And the chance of working with him is something many of them will relish. However, a real-life friend once outrightly rejected the idea of associating himself with the former Intercontinental champion.

Cody Rhodes recalls him being put in a tough predicament by a real-life friend

The 2023 Men’s Royal Rumble match winner recently interacted with Good Karma Wrestling Podcast. In it, he discussed how former WWE superstar Matt Cardona was not positive of the idea of working with him. Rhodes said, “I have this story about Matt which I’m going to tell eventually about watching his first meeting with a certain member of management somewhere, how he tanked this meeting.”

“Right in front of me. And the one big line he hit in the meeting, that I’ll never forget. This is one of my real-life friends. He said, ‘I just want to make it clear; I’m never putting on a Nightmare Family jacket or associating myself with him on-screen.’ I got you the meeting, why? Why did you just under the bus right away.” added the No.1 contender for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.

For the unversed, Rhodes was the head of a stable The Nightmare Family during his time in AEW. Cardona also had a stint with the wrestling promotion after quitting WWE. It is supposedly the same time period mentioned by Rhodes here. It was an important day with regard to Cardona’s career in the AEW. However, his refusal to work with the Rhodes ensured it was not to be.

Read More: Cody Rhodes Voices Discontent Towards His Own Employees Whom He Provided a Living: ‘They Don’t Even Remember Us Anymore’

Cardona had only two matches during his brief stay with the Jacksonville-based promotion. And curiously enough, he teamed up with Rhodes to defeat Alex Reynolds and John Silver of The Dark Order. His second and only ever AEW match saw him team up with Dustin Rhodes in an eight-man tag team encounter. Nevertheless, Cardona and Rhodes have gone through similar career trajectories.

Both Rhodes and Cardona have tasted success outside WWE

Both men have enjoyed immense success away from the Stamford-based promotion. While Rhodes did that by first dazzling in the indie circuit, then NJPW, and finally his more than successful time in AEW. Cardona has tasted success with GCW, NWA, and Impact Wrestling. He won the prestigious NWA World Heavyweight Championship last year. Adding to his GCW world title, which he won in 2021. 

While ‘The American Nightmare’ has made it back to where it all started, what path Brosky chooses remains to be seen. His talents in the squared circle have never been in question. And fans of the WWE will definitely welcome Cardona with open arms if he ever decides to return.

Matt Cardona certainly left Cody Rhodes high and dry in the meeting mentioned by him. The fact that the latter still addresses him as a real-life friend indicates he still holds Cardona in high regard. The former US champion might have had his reasons to not work with Rhodes in any capacity on-screen. But it still hurts him regardless, judging by his animated reaction to reliving the story.

Do you want to see Matt Cardona back in WWE just like ‘The American Nightmare’ Cody Rhodes?

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