Last year, the wrestling world witnessed the true definitions of willpower and sheer determination. Despite having a torn pectoral muscle, Cody Rhodes wrestled Seth Rollins in Hell in a Cell match in June last year. And on top of that, he even walked out of the match as the victor.
It was a career-defining moment for Rhodes that made him the apple of the WWE Universe’s eye. His demonstration of love and commitment to wrestling brought him widespread respect and acknowledgment from the fans. But a year later, looking back, Rhodes has certain regrets about the match.
Cody Rhodes admits his mistake
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During a recent interview with Notsam Wrestling, ‘The American Nightmare’ spoke about the admirable act he demonstrated on the 2022 Hell in the Cell premium live event. He mentions he had no idea that he was going to have a forever moment at Hell in a Cell.
According to Rhodes, what he did was not right, as it clearly sends a wrong message to younger generation wrestlers regarding the health and safety of the athletes. But he clarifies that his passion for wrestling drove him to perform even under severe injury, as his mindset didn’t allow him to withdraw from the match.
Rhodes said, “I’ve learned this at my own school, talking to them, like listening to them, the younger kids, there’s nothing cool about what I did. They are the type that I kept seeing, I remember seeing on Twitter, the other day that people were taking off of shows because they were sick and that was being advertised like such and such is sick. I would cut my hand off if I took a show off because I was sick. I am not… It’s probably not the correct mindset. It is probably toxic and it’s probably alpha.”
He admitted his mistake and confessed, “The TikTokers of the world, who think this is a very bad example, I can tell you right now it’s a bad example.
The 2023 Royal Rumble winner in no way, shape, or form advocates unhealthy and unsafe wrestling practices, but circumstances rendered him choiceless as life threw a major roadblock in front of him before Hell in a Cell, therefore he had to do what he did.
The time when Rhodes went against his own teachings
While speaking to WWE The Bump in February, ‘The American Nightmare’ revealed that he always teaches his students at the Nightmare Factory (his pro-wrestling school) to never wrestle if injured. But at Hell in the Cell last year, he went against his own teachings and wrestled ‘The Visionary’ with an injured peck.
Without even giving a second thought about how it could easily cost him his career, Rhodes gave it all in his match against Rollins. But he substantiated crossing his own beliefs by saying that he did it because it was his job. Rhodes’ passion speaks for itself, as we all know the man is all about wrestling.
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He lives and breathes wrestling, so to disappoint the wrestling world was not even a question. Therefore, he did what he thought was the right thing to do, and lo and behold, it became a career-defining, forever moment for him. What do you think about Rhodes’ interview? Let us know in the comments below. We would love to hear from you.
Watch this story – Cody Rhodes recalls behaving arrogantly with a WWE Legend prior to the worst fight of his career: “I don’t know what I was thinking”