Cody Rhodes and Seth ‘Freakin’ Rollins’ Hell In A Cell match has not only been praised by Dave Meltzer, but now by Jim Cornette as well!
Since their first encounter at WrestleMania 38, Cody Rhodes and Seth ‘Freakin’ Rollins have enjoyed quite the rivalry that has since spanned WrestleMania Backlash and Hell In A Cell. Their latest encounter was praised tremendously, with Dave Meltzer giving it the full five stars.
Jim Cornette has since given a favourable opinion on the match as well. Reviewing the bout on the latest Jim Cornette’s Drive Thru, the legendary Midnight Express manager has applauded both Cody and Seth for producing the match under the unfortunate circumstances surrounding the former’s injury:
“The Hell in a Cell match, it was amazing how they were able to put that together. I gave them some slack on putting a hat on a hat, the gimmicks with the toolbox, the kendo stick and the Hell in a Cell and everything, because it went thirty minutes and one guy had one arm.
They were trying to gimmick it up to keep the flow going and to cover up the things that Cody couldn’t do, it actually, I gotta be honest with you, if there was a way that they could work that match without the injury, actually being real, they couldn’t have done it any better. For a guy with one arm selling a wrestling injury, it couldn’t have been done any better.
The bruising had the people at the start, because they could see it and did you notice it took them a few minutes to get into the match, because they were still a little queasy. Instead of oooh [excited] they went oooh [queasy]. They were kind of stand-offish with it first until they got going. The way that they took them [the audience] on a ride I think that they got them at the end, because people got back into it like I think he’s going to do it.”
Cody Rhodes ultimately defeated ‘The Visionary’ after performing a Cross Rhodes. In the hours building up the event, the rumour was that ‘The American Nightmare’ had suffered a serious injury, which was revealed once Rhodes removed his ring jacket to reveal the horrific bruising on his upper body.
Jim Cornette would continue, specifically commending the former AEW TNT Champion for wrestling while seriously injured:
“The play-by-play of the match wasn’t as important as the way that they structured it. Cody brought out some of his dad there, that was a smoke and mirrors deal, he couldn’t do some of his regular sh*t and if he did, it looked different. That even affects your balance when he is trying to run and jump on the ropes.
Just a lot of people, ‘Well how much more damage could he have done?’ Well if it’s torn off the bone, it’s done, that’s like you can’t get more pregnant. As long as he wanted to put up with f*cking excruciating pain for an hour, he wasn’t going to do more damage to his pec, but Goddamn. Just the way that they structured it, kept it alive and Cody fought from underneath the whole time, obviously, because the one-arm man can’t be the world-beater.”
Although Jim Cornette did mention some gripes with the outstanding match, such as Seth Rollins (the heel) pulling out a table, twice, to a great ovation and Cody’s use of the sledgehammer, it was surprising to see him provide so much praise for a modern WWE match.
The severity of Cody Rhodes’ injury drew criticism when he wrestled a full match in his condition, but the decision was made entirely by Rhodes. Jim Cornette commented on this as he was rounding up his views on the match as a whole:
“But what a match layout and Cody was not going to let anyone down and screw up this babyface spot that he has manipulated himself into and created. He was going to, because his arm had fallen off, was going to do that. I’m surprised they let him do that when they saw it, but the doctor probably said, ‘Well you can’t tear it anymore.’ Tremendous match.”
Cody Rhodes will now be absent from WWE programming for approximately nine months, having undergone successful surgery on Thursday.
If you use any quotes from this article, please provide a link back and h/t to Inside the Ropes.