Cody Rhodes recently made an appearance on Busted Open Radio to promote Saturday’s AEW Full Gear pay-per-view event.
During it, the AEW star discussed not wanting to be a heel character and the negative crowd reactions that he receives despite being a babyface. Here are the highlights:
Certain fans turning on him in recent months:
“I’m really careful when I talk about it because so many people think that there’s some sort of trap to what I’m saying. When I went out and cut that promo, you know AEW, we’re unscripted. We’re authentic. When anyone asks me what we are that’s different from other wrestling companies, the number one thing I say is we’re authentic. What I’ve told everybody is how I love them and that’s a deep love. You have to understand that these people have been feeding me since I was a little kid before I ever took a bump. What I told them is what I meant.
Not wanting to run heel:
“I will not turn heel,” Rhodes said. “You don’t want to drop an absolute on anybody, but I don’t have a lot left in my career. I don’t have another 10 years. It’s probably three more years, full time wrestling, and I want to get every accolade I can get my hands on. I want to be the best me I ever was as a pro wrestler, and the way I’m going to do it is as me. If we try really hard to rope me into babyface or rope me into heel, I think we’re going to miss this wonderful moment. Indianapolis was a total home game. That’s what Arn Anderson said. He said, ‘It’s either going to be a home or away game.’
Comparing home vs. away teams in sports:
“I know walking into certain markets, it’s going to be an away game. Very likely, New York City is an away game. I walk into Atlanta, GA, that’s a home game. Indianapolis was a home game. Miami was a home game. That’s the greatest energy and the greatest gift the fans can give me is to keep doing what they’re doing, just because I’ve wanted them to watch me my whole life. It took a long time. Now we got them. I want them to take this ride and know it’s not the same ride that people have taken you on before. It doesn’t end the same way. That’s what AEW is. You can look at references from our alternative and our competitor, and always be like, ‘Well, they did this. He should do it like this, or she should do it like this.’ We’re doing something different here. For better, for worse, whatever it may be, we are our own thing, and that includes me not doing some stereotypical onscreen commissioner garbage, EVP heel turn.”
H/T to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription
