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What’s the story?
On-screen WWE manager Paul Heyman recently spoke with NBC Sports ahead of WrestleMania 34 and during the interview, Heyman also made some interesting remarks about former WWE superstar and son of WWE legend Dusty Rhodes, current Ring of Honor Wrestling star Cody Rhodes.
In case you didn’t know…
Following his departure from the WWE in 2016, former WWE Intercontinental Champion, Cody Rhodes had made a huge name for himself thanks to his work for various Independent promotions around the globe, such as the likes of Alpha-1 Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Guerilla, Northeast Wrestling and more.
However, despite his immense success in the Indy circuit, Rhodes has most notably worked for Ring of Honor Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is a current member of the legendary faction, the Bullet Club. Rhodes is also a former ROH World Champion, having won the belt from Christopher Daniels last year at ROH: Best in the World.
The heart of the matter
During his recent exclusive interview with NBC Sports, Paul Heyman was asked which WWE superstar he believes would thrive well outside of the company and will eventually follow a successful path, much like of Cody Rhodes. (H/T: Sescoops.com)
Heyman, who has been associated with the wrestling business for well over three decades now, noted that “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes resembles Stone Cold Steve Austin, who as a matter of fact was also a ‘Paul Heyman Guy’ back in the day.
“Cody reminds me a lot of when Steve Austin got out of WCW. In that Steve needed to find himself and when I put him on camera in Philadelphia at 5 o’clock in the morning, after a show, is when a truly pissed off, tired, aggravated Steve Austin found his inner persona that morphed into Stone Cold Steve Austin.”
Additionally, Heyman also praised Rhodes for the tremendous level of success he garnished for himself outside of the WWE, after not being able to bring forward what he envisioned for himself within the WWE in the first place. Further, Heyman would also give Rhodes a massive amount of credit for leaving the WWE and sticking to the vision he had in the wrestling industry.
“Cody has found himself in that very same way in that his angst over not being able to bring forward what he envisioned for himself in WWE has propelled him to new heights outside of WWE. He would have never found that within the company. Kudos to Cody for leaving and for sticking to his vision and to finding that box office appeal that has always lived inside of him.”
Rhodes' response to Heyman's quotes:
What’s next?
After having caused a lot of dissension within the Bullet Club in the past few months, Cody Rhodes will now go one-on-one with “The Best Bout Machine” Kenny Omega at ROH: Supercard of Honor XII, in New Orleans on the 7th of April.
Author’s Take
In the past we have seen several WWE superstars depart from the company and eventually getting mixed into the shuffle, however, Cody Rhodes has certainly made a huge name for himself ever since departing from the WWE and eventually joining the Bullet Club and capturing the Ring of Honor World Title as well.
