The American Nightmare Cody Rhodes, also known as the star that left them in the dust, is one of the biggest professional wrestlers in the world – both in and outside of World Wrestling Entertainment. Ever since walking away last year he’s done some great things on the independent scene, and yet fans still aren’t really appreciating him for all he’s done.
Some may feel like he’s been handed these opportunities, but anyone who’s followed Cody’s career will know that the guy is one of the best all-round performers the industry has seen in a long time. Whether it’s character work or his actual in-ring abilities, there are very few things that the 32-year-old cannot do.
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Of course, wrestling is entirely subjective which will lead to some anger at this post even being created, but at the end of the day, fans need to open their eyes when a superstar is being presented to them. Sure it may feel a little unnatural given how quick his rise to the top has been, but you could say the same thing for several top indie stars over the years.
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So with that being said, here are five reasons why fans should love Cody Rhodes.
#1 Lineage
There’s no two ways about it: the Rhodes family is one of the greatest and most prestigious families in all of professional wrestling. Period. Cody is the living and breathing embodiment of his legendary father Dusty, and over the last few years has proven that talent and charisma most certainly run in the family.
If for nothing else, wrestling fans should appreciate just what a fantastic relationship these two men had as father and son and how much Dusty gave to Cody. When you add his brother Goldust into the mix, it becomes increasingly apparent that without the Rhodes family we would have fewer great memories within this industry.
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#2 Diversity
He’s been dashing, disfigured, a long-time IC champion, a tag wrestler, a moustache wearer, a justice seeker and Stardust – and that isn’t even the half of it. Cody Rhodes has pretty much re-invented the word diversity of professional wrestling since debuting in WWE, managing to succeed in any and every gimmick that the company have given him.
No task has been too big, and no character change has been too dramatic for Cody to handle, and that is the sign of a truly talented and dedicated performer. Sure he isn’t the greatest in-ring talent in the world, but being able to create a genuine connection with the crowd is half of if not 75% of the battle. Period.
#3 Global reach
Some superstars are destined for success in World Wrestling Entertainment, and others aren’t. Rarely, however, do you get a wrestler who is able to transcend nationalities and styles in order to thrive everywhere he goes. As you’ve probably guessed, we’re indirectly referring to the global travels of none other than Cody Rhodes.
From the UK to the WWE to TNA to ROH to NJPW, Rhodes has the ability to adapt to every kind of scenario thrown in front of him. Cody has performed expertly in front of a variety of crowds and audiences, capturing almost half a dozen titles already and even managing to have an IWGP Heavyweight Championship match. Baffling stuff.
This man can talk.
#4 Mic skills
So what if you’re born with a lisp? It’s 2017 dammit, and people like Cody Rhodes aren’t going to let a speech impediment hold them down and prevent them from being the greatest version of themselves. Cody is one of the most naturally fascinating talkers in a long, long time, allowing the audience to hang on every single word that comes out of his mouth.
He’s clearly developed these abilities over time, which makes the seamless nature of his delivery all the more impressive. He can be angry, jubilant, ridiculous and even heartfelt; meanwhile, some ‘superstars’ may be all-stars in the ring, but on the stick, they’re monotone at best. That isn’t a shot, either, it’s just the truth.
Comedic tone
We don’t care what anyone says if you want to make it in the big time you have to have some kind of comedy elements in your locker. It’s almost a requirement at this stage. So with that in mind, please go and watch all of Cody’s interviews where he’s in character as Stardust: because they’re absolutely hilarious.
Not only that, but Cody’s run on the independents has seen him slip into a very funny role on the Being The Elite YouTube series. Sure he mainly just runs down The Revival, but the way in which he does it gives us all some entertaining skits to watch over and over again. Seriously, we’ll never get tired of it.
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