Sgt. Slaughter reveals what he told Cody Rhodes after WWE's Hulk Hogan tribute (Exclusive)

Cody Rhodes and Sgt. Slaughter stood next to each other on stage when WWE paid tribute to Hulk Hogan on the July 25 episode of SmackDown. In an exclusive interview, Slaughter disclosed details about his conversation with Rhodes that day.

Hogan passed away on July 24 at the age of 71 after suffering a heart attack. Slaughter famously feuded with The Hulkster in the early 1990s when he portrayed a controversial Iraqi sympathizer character.

Speaking to Sportskeeda Wrestling's Senior Editor Bill Apter, Slaughter revealed that he had no idea Rhodes was joining him on stage for the tribute. He also encouraged The American Nightmare to keep up his good work.

"When I went to do the tribute with everybody for Hulk [Hogan], Cody [Rhodes] wasn't there," Slaughter said. "He was rehearsing, so when we came out, Hunter [Triple H] said, 'I want you to be next to me, but leave a little space. I didn't understand what he was talking about.' So when it came live, here came Cody, and he stood next to Hunter and me. So when we got done, he turned to me, we shook hands, and I said, 'Keep the ball rolling. The ball's in your court. It's your time now.'"

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Watch the video above to hear Slaughter reflect on the early days of John Cena's WWE career.

Cody Rhodes contacted Sgt. Slaughter after the Hulk Hogan tribute

Since returning to WWE in 2022, Cody Rhodes has performed as one of the company's top babyfaces. Sgt. Slaughter was also a beloved figure in 1984 before a licensing deal with Hasbro resulted in him leaving the Stamford-based promotion for six years.

Slaughter added that Cody Rhodes messaged him after the Hulk Hogan tribute to thank him for his kind words.

"He shook my hand, and the next day I got a text from him, and he said, 'Thank you, that meant a lot to me,' and that's the kinda guy he is. He understands the business, and those who paved the road for him and those that paved the road for me to jump on. It just was a little too early. I wish I could have been 10 years later."

Earlier in the interview, Slaughter recalled how former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon once instructed him to teach John Cena his signature salute.

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.

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Edited by Danny Hart