Cody Rhodes is no stranger to controversy in wrestling. He’s gone through and participated in plenty of moments that got different reactions.
From his painted-up alter-ego Stardust, to his “throne-breaking” entrance years ago, and how he was handled in New Japan and the independent scene, the American Nightmare has been through enough to understand that there are more ways than one to “do” pro-wrestling.
It’s with that in mind, Rhodes explained to Logan Paul why he defended one of the most polarizing wrestling moments of the past ten years.
Cody Rhodes Defends Famous Will Ospreay/Ricochet encounter
Shortly after his 2023 Royal Rumble win, Cody appeared on Logan Paul’s IMPAULSIVE podcast. Paul discussed some of the things he did in that match and how impressed he was with Ricochet in particular.
Cody went on to say that he wrestled Ricochet on the independent scene as well and the discussion shifted to all the crazy and acrobatic moves Paul’s friends and fans were sending him.
That’s where the crux of the conversation came: Cody explained that his biggest lesson from wrestling on the independent scene was that the industry had changed, fans had changed, and so the style of wrestling had to change as well.
Cody zeroed in on a very specific moment within a very specific match that defined this mentality: Ricochet vs. Will Ospreay from NJPW’s Best of the Super Juniors XXIII on May 27th, 2016.
Rhodes praised the match for being so athletic and acrobatic, and he also highlighted how the match got more praise from some people but scathing criticism from others, including wrestling industry veterans.
“It’s the most complex, just wild standoff. Just ducks, pass-bys, underneath, flip-over-the-top, some of the most athletic stuff you’ve ever seen done in a live setting. One time the rope broke and they still did it, they did it twice.
And…it was the most polarizing thing in wrestling. ‘This is not right; this is not how you do it’.”
Cody Rhodes defended the moment by saying that the key thing was that the fans’ reactions were the most important thing about it.
“Really? Like, the people are happy, let them be happy. If you one of these, I don’t want to say ‘old-timers’, these luminaries poking at what we do, you’re the one that’s busting kayfabe.”
While Cody Rhodes was the man that won the 2023 Royal Rumble match, Logan Paul had arguably the best moment in the entire match as he and Ricochet springboarded from opposite sides of the ring and collided in midair with simultaneous clotheslines.
Highlights from that Ospreay/Ricochet match can be found below.
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