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Cody Rhodes is now known as The American Nightmare in WWE, but for a time, he portrayed the character of Stardust in the promotion.
He wrestled under his own name for years before WWE decided to change his character. Stardust debuted and teamed up with his brother, Goldust, on the June 16, 2014, episode of RAW.
They captured the WWE Tag Team Championships from The Usos at Night of Champions later in the year. However, the alliance soon imploded, and Stardust left the company in 2016.
Cody joined Montez Ford on the latest episode of WWE Grit & Glory. The two spoke about various topics, including how the former decided to return to WWE at WrestleMania 38.
During the interview, Cody discussed portraying Stardust and admitted that he wasn't ready to be himself again in WWE after his father, Dusty Rhodes, passed away.
"It hits a unique wall in the form of Stardust. Because there were times that it was a mask that I did want and then there were times that it was a mask that I didn't want. While I was doing Stardust, my dad [Dusty Rhodes] passed away. That was 2015. Nothing I needed more at that time than to hide and cover up. I wasn't ready to be Cody Rhodes, I wasn't ready to be anything," he said. [05:40 - 06:06]
Check out this week's RAW results here.
Cody Rhodes said that he "needed to find" The American Nightmare
The former AEW TNT Champion noted that he needed to find The American Nightmare as "the last piece" of his self-discovery journey.
He said that he needed to adopt his father's 'American Dream' mantle in his own way and embrace the family legacy.
"The last piece of it all though that I needed to find was, not to sound dramatic, was The American Nightmare itself. Being the son of The American Dream, it was just time to take the mantle in my own way. I am part of a royal family of wrestling, and I'm lucky to be a part of it. But now I'm carrying it with me, I'm not hiding it. I'm not disguising it," Cody Rhodes said. [06:07-06:30]
Ahead of Hell in a Cell 2022, Cody tore his pectoral tendon completely off his bone during training. He has undergone successful surgery and is currently on the road to recovery.
While he is projected to be inactive for nine months, The American Nightmare recently claimed to have his own plans and isn't concerned with other people's projections. Nonetheless, fans are eagerly waiting for Rhodes' in-ring return.
Please credit WWE Grit & Glory with a H/T to Sportseeda for the transcription if you use any of the quotes from this article.
