Arn Anderson's WWE Career Advice For Cody Rhodes Revealed (Exclusive)

Cody Rhodes initially worked for WWE from 2006 to 2016 before leaving the company for six years. Arn Anderson, The American Nightmare's long-time mentor, recently disclosed details about an important piece of advice he shared with the 40-year-old.

Rhodes' close bond with his late father, Dusty, is often mentioned in his WWE storylines. Dusty was one of the most beloved babyfaces in the wrestling business in the 1970s and 1980s. He also worked as a WCW booker and a WWE NXT coach before passing away in 2015.

In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda Wrestling Senior Editor Bill Apter, Anderson said he told Cody Rhodes to stand out by improving his in-ring work.

"I said, 'You're gonna run up against a lot of issues, being second generation, number one. More importantly, Dusty Rhodes is your dad. So, what you gotta do, you're a handsome kid, you look like a lifeguard at Laguna Beach or something, you're gonna have to be solid, and more solid than everybody else in the match, which is gonna make you stand out.'" [1:22–1:45]

WWE has no future plans for Rhea? Here's why!

Watch the video above to hear Anderson's reaction to the death of two-time WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan.

Why Arn Anderson wanted Cody Rhodes to toughen up

Since returning to WWE in 2022, Cody Rhodes has been presented as one of the company's main babyfaces.

Arn Anderson believes top good guys like Rhodes must work "snug" to make fans aware they can get tough when needed.

"There's nothing worse than a handsome guy kicking the s**t out of you. If the guy looks like a monster, okay, I get that, but when you look like Cody, your work has gotta be snug, but safe, and it's gotta be vicious when it's time. Babyfaces have to be able to use these [fists]." [1:45–2:06]

Anderson is best known for his time with the legendary Four Horsemen faction in WCW. He also worked as a WWE producer from 2001 to 2019.

Special thanks to TMart Promotions' The Gathering for allowing this interview to take place. You can check out Arn Anderson's podcast, The Arn Show, on YouTube.

Please credit Sportskeeda Wrestling and embed the video if you use quotes from this article.

About the author

Danny Hart is a journalist who has been reporting on pro wrestling (WWE) at Sportskeeda since 2017. He grew up as a massive fan of football/soccer and wrestling, leading him to pursue a career in sports journalism.

Before assuming his current role, Hart worked as a football writer at Goal.com between 2009 and 2016. He prides himself on writing original content that is fact-based and highly accurate. Hart thoroughly proofreads his work before submitting it and relies only on credible sources for information.

Hart’s favorite pro wrestler is The Undertaker. He admires the 2022 WWE Hall of Famer’s ability to reinvent his character and remain relevant across his decades-long career. If given the keys to WWE’s creative department, he would bring back The Phenom for a farewell bout against AJ Styles in a stadium full of fans. Not only that, but he would love to have the multi-time world champion’s greatest rivals seated at ringside for the spectacle.

When not watching and covering sports, Hart enjoys long-distance running, playing video games, and listening to audiobooks and podcasts.

Know More

Edited by Danny Hart