Cody Rhodes has paid tribute to the late Andy Williams, better known to wrestling fans as The Butcher.
As noted, Williams passed away over the weekend at the age of 48 after suffering a medical emergency following a match at an independent wrestling event near Pittsburgh. Since news of his passing surfaced, numerous wrestlers and others throughout the industry have shared memories and tributes to the former AEW star.
During a recent interview with OutKick and FOX Digital, Rhodes reflected on his time working with Williams in AEW and helping introduce The Butcher, The Blade and The Bunny to the promotion.
“When I was away from WWE, I actually — him and Blade (also known as Pepper Parks) and Bunny — we had recruited them to do this really fun debut,” Rhodes said. “He came up under the ring and they beat me up, and I definitely didn’t get to spend near enough time with him as a person.”
Rhodes said the tributes that have poured in describing Williams as a warm and charismatic person accurately reflected the man he knew.
“But all the things you’re hearing about him in terms of how warm and charismatic and interesting — not a guy that needed the gig, he had another gig, and super cultured and intelligent,” he said.
The reigning WWE star also noted how different Williams was from what someone might have assumed based solely on his intimidating appearance as The Butcher.
“And again, The Butcher — you see this big, just the mustache and the tattoos and the muscles,” Rhodes continued. “Maybe if you had judged that book by its cover, you wouldn’t know how truly special, intelligent, artistic, and beautiful of a person that he was.”
Rhodes admitted that he wished he had gotten the opportunity to spend more time around Williams, but said he remains grateful to have played a role in bringing him into AEW.
“I didn’t get to be around him near enough, but I’m really glad I was part of bringing him into that moment and, I wish everyone around him thinking about them, and wish them the best,” Rhodes said. “And they’re very much in my heart today.”
Finally, Rhodes revealed that he spoke with his wife, Brandi Rhodes, about Williams’ passing and described the news as a shock.
“I told Brandi about that this morning and just such a shock, so young,” he said. “Beautiful person, and he leaves behind multiple locker rooms of people that he touched, that all of them 100% have a good memory and a good story about him.”
