Elite Wrestling star Cody Rhodes, one of the company’s four executive vice presidents, will be in a mixed fight with partner Red Velvet against NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal and Jade Cargill in the March 3 episode of “AEW Dynamite “(8:00 pm), TNT). Before entering the ring, Rhodes took time out for a few questions and answers with professional wrestling writer Joseph Staszewski of The Post.
(Edited for clarity and length)
Q: What kind of impact do you think Shaq can have for AEW when you have someone with your notoriety and just people’s curiosity about what Shaq can be as a fighter?
A: The power of Shaq, when you have one of these very, very iconic American brands, cannot be underestimated. The only thing I know about penetration (from the audience) and the sphere of absolute influence, the closest thing I could think of is Snoop Dogg himself. For me, this is very, very exciting. It’s actually a big part – not my wrestler job – it’s a big part of the other job (EVP) because if we build that and they come to this Dynamite, March 3 with Shaq, I hope they love everything he does and that they love everything we do, but maybe find someone they wouldn’t have known if this was their first foray into wrestling that they fell in love with and that wasn’t in our fight. That’s one of the beautiful things about the friction and power of someone like Shaq.
Q: How did it happen? Was it something he approached you about or was it something you approached him about?
A: What happened is really what the fans saw. He tweeted about me (in August 2020) and didn’t know me, I think. He just knew that he had a show at TNT and that we had seen each other on the top fronts and “Dynamite” was rocking and I think he chose a professional in-house fighter to attack. And I didn’t think about it much other than, you know, we fighters, we love it when we see blue checks (Twitter), we love it when we see people talking about our world.
So, the next time you know, QT (Marshall) called me half a year ago, so that was a while ago. He called me and said, “Hey, I just want you to know something.” When that’s how he frames it, I know it’s going to be something about the Nightmare Factory. He said, “I just want you to know that Shaq came in and started training. I said, well, send me a video, I have to see it. He did a good amount of QT training with some bodies there that he can play with and things like that.
Right then, I knew we were in an area where it could really, seriously happen. We really jumped on it the best we could. QT is really technically responsible for this. He and (president of AEW) Tony Khan because he and Tony also have a great relationship. He kind of came into existence like so many other things on AEW.
Q: How long has Shaq been training?
A: I don’t have much interaction with him. I know that when he trains it is very long. They spent more than two hours. They go from the weight room to the ring and two or three of our best guys jump, train and want to be there. They stay there most of the night. I never trained with him. He was very trained by QT. They train quite regularly and I’m excited.
When you’re that big. If you came, not Shaq, if you were that big, I would like you to train and learn to do as much as you can, but most wrestling promoters and bookers and companies will not let you do that much. There is a much less-is-more guideline for a legitimate giant. Not many people come to wrestling anymore.
The only thing I’ve been thinking about is that I’ve fought the Big Show so many times. He was just one of the most valuable teachers to me. He was everything. He was a genuine opponent when it came to how he handled the move to WrestleMania. He was my first taste of good politics, bad politics, and he was an angel in the ring to fight. He gave me some absolutely valuable lessons. So, thinking a lot about Show as I’ve been thinking about Shaq, somehow they are similar.
Q: You and Shaq are the main attractions, but how big is this opportunity for Jade and Red Velvet?
A: Red Velvet, this is the golden ticket. Everyone likes Red Velvet and she said, ‘I’m not just going to be a replacement.’ She and Arn (Anderson) argued about doing that interview (in the “Waiting Room” segment) where I basically just stood there like a pudding, which was great. I don’t need to make a seven-minute manifesto. If I have one ready, I’m ready.
I was genuinely impressed at the time and thought it captivated the audience. I felt that she did not try to condescend to me or suck anything of that nature. She really kind of insisted and left and made us think about it. And quite honestly, if there was any doubt about who should fill this role she made it very clear, because many names were released when (my wife) Brandi became pregnant. And she made it very clear that it would be Red Velvet. I was very proud of her and I don’t even know her very well.
As far as Jade is concerned, it can irritate some people, and I’m just telling you from an optics point of view, but Jade trains incredibly hard. I know that she is incredibly disciplined. She’s not so nice to me, but it reminds me a lot of Chyna’s early stages and her unique way. I found out, from the little interaction I had with her before she ripped me off on the microphone, Chyna is her favorite fighter. I have not yet had this experience with a trainee and someone entering the industry. For me, having Red Velvet and Jade and everything that is happening with what (female champion) Hikaru Shida has been doing along with the women’s tournament, we are trying to take all the steps we can at a real pace, without heat. shooting just to reinforce our presence in our women on the show.
Q: In your mind, with AEW’s relationship with New Japan Pro-Wrestling, does the door open for these dream fights when travel restrictions are lifted?
A: I am totally AEW, but I am not blind to the potential of these crossovers. I think that when travel restrictions increase, there may be crossover combinations, the dream combinations that are available to us. I know in my heart that there is someone I would love to fight from New Japan. I didn’t have the opportunity and time is running out on that opportunity.
I am a big fan of The Ace (Hiroshi Tanahashi). I like to challenge myself and they have a great cast in terms of (Kazuchika) Okada, Jay White and of course (Kota) Ibushi, with whom I have fought so many times, and many people. (Tomohiro) Ishii, my God. There is good potential for crossover elements and good friendly relationships, but I also want to never forget that we have a locker room full of men and women who are eager to enter this two hour time frame and I always look for AEW first. Just respectfully with any other company, I’m probably the most cautious when it comes to crossovers.
Q: Dynamite two weeks ago had fighters from NWA, Impact and New Japan. Is there a final goal in your boys’ minds about how you want this idea of talent sharing to affect wrestling? It looks like a setback to the days of the territory.
A: I think of “All In” itself. “All In” is a program that ROH (Ring of Honor) helped us with that Matt (Jackson), Nick (Jackson), myself did all the work outside of that element of initial production and the reason why it was important that the three what we did was let all those old rules go. This is a very dangerous and powerful precedent to set if you literally tear down all bridges and knock down all doors. Again, all of this is hypothetical, but there is no reason why AEW should not work with New Japan. We are aware of the outside world. Bullet Club is a big part of our blood at AEW. So there is no reason why we should not work with New Japan. There is no reason why Jacob Fatu cannot take a step beyond the MLW and stay on the other side of the ring.
There is no reason why one day there cannot be a potential WWE crossover. And I don’t mean that it is something that has been discussed or that happens, but none of these rules that exist elsewhere exist for us. Wrestling is really a universal industry. The territory reference you made is quite accurate, but the most accurate part is that there was genuine trust.
Eddie Graham and Vince (McMahon) Sr. they switched people all the time and did prolific business with it and did it in a way that they introduced these characters to New York and then they introduced these characters to Florida and kept the fresh things because, above all, Wednesday Night War or not, the main thing we have to do for fans for the rest of this season – and I want this company to be around forever – is to keep it up to date. It can never be obsolete.
Our doors are open if the deal is right, if it is the right time, if it is the right time. Our bridges are destroyed. I will be the only AEW petty to make sure everything is fine.
Q: What is the biggest thing you learned as a child of a professional fighter that can lead to being a father as a professional fighter?
A: My father was very big, and it was because he was a fighter, for being faithful to who you are. He told me about 4 or 5 years old, he said that if the teacher asked him: “What does your father do for a living?” you can tell him that i’m a salesman. You can tell him that I’m a mechanic. I said to him, “I don’t want to tell you that, I mean you’re a fighter.” He said, “This is what I want, too. Never feel pressure to do this. ”It really shaped my whole childhood. I wore a leather jacket in 3rd grade, everyone made fun of me. The next day, I wore that leather jacket again and the next day. That was kind of growing up with a dad and a really big personality.
And where I grew up, people really despised our family because we were like the circus. He was adamant about just being true to who you are, to the point that I said in that funeral home, and they asked me what you would like to put on. It’s like a flashback. The guy said that I can say that he has a university degree and I interrupted him and said: “Just write professional fighter”. That’s what he was. So, for me, it was a great lesson that I hope I can pass on to my own son.