Cody Rhodes reveals what was said between him and John Cena during their brief interaction on the March 6 WWE Monday Night Raw episode.
On the March 6 episode of Raw, John Cena returned and accepted Austin Theory's challenge for WWE United States Championship match at WrestleMania. Then, Cena brought out Cody Rhodes, endorsing Rhodes as a WrestleMania headliner in front of the crowd in Boston, Massachusetts. The two shared a brief interaction that included an embrace, and now Cody Rhodes is explaining what was said at that moment.
In a recent interview with Stadium Astro, Cody Rhodes says that what he tweeted about rewarding the noise from the audience was not what John told him at that moment. Instead, that's something John used to say to him back when Cody Rhodes was a rookie driving John Cena around. Cody Rhodes actually asked John Cena for a match.
"So actually, that was something he told me in the car when I was driving him around in 2008-2009. What he said to me on Raw was -- I was telling him if he ever does another match, I would like [to work with him], and I think you could hear him pretty well. He says, ‘I can’t promise that.’ I also didn’t want to make it about myself at that moment, so I just endlessly thanked him, and then he was at the Nightmare Factory a week later talking to our students," Rhodes recalled.
Cody then spoke about watching John Cena embody the phrase "reward their noise" on countless live events and television tapings.
"That was something in the car that it's not just his axiom, it was a genuine way he approached live events, and shows was rewarding their noise," Rhodes said. "A simpler way to look at that is kids come to a show, and they see their guy hurt, and they see their guy down, and they start clapping, they want something from him. He was a big proponent and always doing something so that they know if they do something, he'll be up for them or he'll at least try. I think looking at the flow of a live event, looking at the flow of a premium live event, there is something huge to that. Because we can't just do these matches in the ring, bell-to-bell, for each other. We're doing them for this audience sitting there in the building that night, as well as worldwide on television. You have to try and step into their shoes. You're so focused on what you're doing, sure, but you have to step in their shoes and [think] what do they want, and can I give it to them? Or is it my job to take it away from them? That was just something that always sat with me and, when in practice, always worked."
After that appearance, John Cena tweeted that March 6, 2023, was the first time he entered an arena and realized it could be "the last time." He would later clarify that tweet. Read his clarification at this link.
Cody Rhodes is entering the main event of WrestleMania 39 to challenge Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. While he may not have a Master Sword, he is ready to become a legend on that night.
Rhodes' father, Dusty Rhodes, is a bona fide legend, and Cody says that his father would be so proud to know that his fingerprints are all over this year's WrestleMania. Read more here.
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