Dustin Rhodes discusses Cody’s return to WWE, reflects on singles match with CM Punk

'The Natural' Dustin Rhodes talks about Cody's return to WWE and also touches on his singles match against CM Punk on AEW Dynamite

Photo Courtesy: All Elite Wrestling

Dustin Rhodes thinks Dusty would be proud of Cody.

It has been a full month since Cody Rhodes made his return to WWE. Rhodes is currently involved in an on-screen program with Seth Rollins that has saw Rhodes score two victories over Rollins.

Dustin Rhodes was a guest on The Sessions with Renée Paquette and shared his thoughts about his brother choosing to depart AEW and go back to WWE. Dustin thinks their father would have been proud of Cody. Dustin added that Cody delivered on his post-WrestleMania promo and although Dustin misses him, he encouraged his brother to go get the world title.

You know, again, I always wanted us to be happy and he [Dusty Rhodes] would have his suggestions like that and try to lead us in the right way. But ultimately, these are our decisions, right? And money’s money and dad would always say take the money. Always say take the money and I know, just me watching it [Cody’s first promo back in WWE] and seeing dad up there, you know, on the screen and talking about him and Cody’s very passionate about his promos, about everything single word that he’s gonna say which is very important, right? And especially for that first one which was very important. You’re making a huge impact on a lot of people. First time you’ve been back in years and he did it and I know dad would be happy. He’s sitting in the rafters. That’s where I pictured him when me and Cody wrestled at Double or Nothing, right?…

I was happy for him but I was also — I missed him already and I miss him being here but I know he’s young and you know, let’s go. Go do your thing so I’m very happy for him and I’m like, ‘Hey man, more power to you. Go get that title and wear it on and do your stuff.’

On the 4/20 installment of AEW Dynamite, Dustin went one-on-one with CM Punk. It was a match that Rhodes labeled as a ‘dream match’ for him on the build-up to it. He recalled telling AEW President Tony Khan that he was not doing the match unless it was 20 minutes or over.

He went on to speak about the in-ring dynamic between himself and Punk and how he wanted to tell a story above all else.

I was talking to Tony [Khan] about it [match against CM Punk] and I was like, ‘I will not do this unless it’s 20 minutes or over. Let me tell the story.’ He’s always been a dream match of mine to have. He’s one of those bucket list things that, oh man, I’ve never got to work CM Punk. I’ve tagged with him, I’ve been in the ring with him with WWE and stuff like that but man, he was the world champion, he was a top dog. You know, I’ve always wanted to be in there and see what he is capable of doing wrestling-wise. You know, you get to the day of and we’re talking and we’re making it really simple because less is more and my big thing I told him, I said, ‘Look, I don’t care about all these moves that we’re gonna do,’ right? Or whatever but, ‘I just want to make the people feel something.’ So we did that and he sold an arm and I sold a leg. Babyface versus babyface is selling, he’s selling, it gets a little heated, we start slapping each other, you know? And then it’s not really that he’s a heel or I’m a heel. It’s just two guys slugging it out, having a pro wrestling match. You’re looking around the arena and you start seeing them standing up at certain times and it’s a build, right? It’s all a part of the story and I love to tell stories and that night, knowing that I could do that with CM Punk and did it, I knew for a fact that in 2022, you can still go out there and have a pro wrestling match without doing a whole bunch of bullsh*t. Just feeling off of him, feeling off the crowd, fighting back, selling, filling something in on the fly, right? Instead of just talking all afternoon about spot after spot after spot. Feeling, which is what a lot of the youth today are missing.

The 5/11 Dynamite on Long Island will see CM Punk back in action as he takes on John Silver. Punk is set to challenge Hangman Adam Page for the AEW World Title at Double or Nothing.

If the quotes in this article are used, please credit The Sessions with Renée Paquette with an H/T to POST Wrestling for the transcriptions. 

About Andrew Thompson 9443 Articles
A Washington D.C. native and graduate of Norfolk State University, Andrew Thompson has been covering wrestling since 2017.