Dustin Rhodes/Steve Austin talks Cody's WWE run

[Chris]

Dustin Rhodes likes how WWE is booking Cody Rhodes.

The 54-year-old appeared on Monday's edition of Busted Open Radio and spoke about Cody losing to Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39. According to Dustin, WWE is making the right call by having Cody "earn it."

Dustin Rhodes said:

He's being shot to the moon right now and that's great, that's good for him. I hope he's happy and finally gets that big one that dad never got. I've never won a world title. But there is a little jealousy on my part cause, 'Man, why can't I get that?' You know what I mean? But it's okay, it's not like a bad jealousy thing. I'm extremely proud of him, I wish him the best, and he's going to be world champion, I know it. I don't know when but he's going to be world champion.

Dustin continued to echo the sentiment previously expressed by Paul Heyman that Cody's story would have nowhere to go if he won the title at WrestleMania 39.

They are making him pay for it now, they are making him earn it and I like that, I do. I like that because once you put the title on him, where are you going?

Rhodes' story continues on WWE Raw tonight from Little Rock, Arkansas. Brock Lesnar is scheduled to respond to his challenge for a match at Backlash on the show. Should Lesnar vs. Rhodes be scheduled for next month's PLE from Puerto Rico, it would be the first time the two have met in singles competition. The only two times they were entered into the same match together were the 2016 and 2023 Royal Rumbles.

https://www.f4wonline.com/news/wwe/dustin-rhodes-likes-codys-wwe-booking-theyre-making-him-earn-it

 

[Dale]

I'm fine with the whole adversity reasoning as it makes sense.

For me he should beat Brock at Backlash, then call out Roman the next night on Raw for a second match but Roman declines and tells him he's back of the line. Time passes as I don't know what they do at Saudi then he enters the MITB match, about to grab the case when Solo costs him again. Cut a promo about having Roman's number at Mania and being screwed out of the briefcase, management gets involved, Roman vs Cody at SummerSlam, Uso's and Solo banned from ringside with Roman losing the belt if they come out, Cody wins mega clean.

 

[Jazz Wolf]

I'm just going to highlight and respond to this one in particular because it's a shite copout answer to just about any question that gets this response. Same answer for if Sami beat Roman, or if Drew beat Roman, or if The Blue Meanie beat Roman, or if [Insert Your Favorite Jobber] beat Roman, idk.

I like that because once you put the title on him, where are you going?

Easy - you book him to have a title reign. That's it. Defend it against a variation of opponents until he loses it, it's booking 101, have you never seen a title reign in wrestling before. He made it to the top, now the story is how long can he hang on up there. Story over, new one, get to it, chop chop. Whenever I see this kind of response I just automatically assume the person saying it is creatively bankrupt and unable to understand the idea of sequels. You start a new story, introduce new elements and developments, and go where the chapters take you.

'Ah see John McClane saved the day in Die Hard so we can't make a sequel because where would it even go.'
'Sure Spider-Man defeated the Green Goblin but we can't make a sequel because where would it even go.'
'Yeah Godfather was fine but I can't see a sequel because where would it even g-' It's not hard, read a fuckin' book my guy.

I mean, fuck, look at the Bloodline - Roman retained and now the Bloodline story is going nowhere again until they randomly decide to tease Jey Uso dissension in about three or four months time. That's the sample where the question 'okay where to now?' should be asked.

Anyway. That's it. Just pointing out a shite response to a shite decision. Shrug.

 

[Canadian Dragon]

yeah the whole "well if he wins, then what" argument is dense a.f. You book him to defend his title lol that's literally what the booker and writers are for. Just lazy.

 

[The Gipper]

Literally Brock would have been a great first defence for him, Brock wants the championship now that he can challenge for it again. That’s the story if Cody wins!

 

[Chris]

Steve Austin thought the ending to Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39 was "magnificent."

Austin spoke with Sports Illustrated recently and discussed Reigns' defeat of Rhodes on the show.

He said:

"I’m going all-in. To me, they got it just right.
I was wondering how they were going to do this match. They built it perfectly. I told my wife, ‘I think they’re going 30 [minutes].’ They ended up going just over 34, and it was a classic. I loved it, and I wouldn’t have changed a thing. I texted a couple people who were involved, and I sent a one-word text: Magnificent."

The finish of the match saw Solo Sikoa return to ringside after having been ejected earlier. He hit Rhodes with a Samoan Spike and Reigns followed it up with a spear for the win.

Austin continued to say that he loved how the match came to a conclusion.

"I loved the finish,” Austin said. “I loved all of it. Roman is so good right now. The story was there—Cody coming back from injury, coming back into the fold after he left from AEW, and putting himself in the position he’s in now, overcoming all this adversity as part of one of the most famous wrestling families that’s ever been in the business, and trying to finish the story against Roman.
“I watched both nights of WrestleMania 39 very intently. To me, you can’t take that belt off Roman right now. You want to get it to Cody somehow, someway, some time—but now’s not the time.”

Austin continued to speak about the outside interference at the end of the match, saying:

“Just thinking about that finish, I thought it was definitely the right call. I loved the outside interference. You didn’t know what was coming next. That spike to the throat, for me, it was money.”

The finish to Reigns vs. Rhodes has been a frequently debated topic since the conclusion of WM39 night two. Paul Heyman told Ariel Helwani earlier this month that he feels Rhodes is a bigger star as a result of the loss. Heyman noted that the reaction to Cody on the Raw after WrestleMania "was louder than the response last week to Cody Rhodes."

Cody's older brother Dustin told Busted Open Radio earlier this week that he also enjoyed the finish to the match, saying, "They are making him pay for it now, they are making him earn it and I like that, I do. I like that because once you put the title on him, where are you going?"

https://www.f4wonline.com/news/wwe/steve-austin-says-he-loved-the-finish-to-roman-reigns-vs-cody-at-wwe-wrestlemania

 

[Chris]

Steve Austin is adamant that Roman Reigns beating Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 39 was the right call.

Austin appeared on Busted Open Radio on Thursday and echoed sentiment previously expressed by Paul Heyman and Dustin Rhodes that Cody beating Roman would not have increased his popularity.

Austin said:

Cody beating Roman would not have gotten Cody over anymore. As a matter of fact, it might have worked against him.

Austin continued to say that Cody winning the title at WrestleMania 39 would have been "cliche." He doesn't believe the time was right to take the title off of Reigns.

Roman's on fire right now and one of these days it'll be time to take that belt off him and put it on somebody else but you don't make Cody by taking the belt off the right guy at the wrong time.

He continued:

I just think it was so storybook, it would have been so cliche to put the belt on him. Has he earned the opportunity to be there? Yeah, but would he have been the right guy, right now, trying to take out Roman Reigns? I just think not. Roman is so on fire and so money right now. Cody's going to be there. To me, it made me respect Cody more. When you're down there looking at the lights and you know that story is going to be completed one of these days but it ain't going to be right here and it was for the right reasons and the reason is it was business.

Cody was a -800 favorite to defeat Roman Reigns at WWE WrestleMania 39. While many were surprised at the result, our own Dave Meltzer reported shortly after the event that Roman retaining was "always the plan."

Cody has since moved into a storyline with Brock Lesnar that started on the Raw after Mania and will continue at Night of Champions on May 27. Reigns will team with Solo Sikoa to challenge WWE tag champions, Sami Zayn & Kevin Owens on the same show.

https://www.f4wonline.com/news/wwe/steve-austin-respects-cody-rhodes-more-after-wwe-wrestlemania-39-loss

 

[Canadian Dragon]

He is entitled to his take, but I think his arguments are weak. I wonder how he would feel if they told him to lay down for Shawn when he was white hot at mania