– Cody Rhodes appeared on ESPN First Take today to discuss WrestleMania 40, working with The Rock, and more. Rhodes compared The Rock’s Final Boss character to Hollywood Hogan. Below are some highlights:
On his entrance and fans chanting along with his theme music: “I feel like it’s a shot of adrenaline like straight to the heart. With the schedule we have and how we’re going sometimes, you might be on a low, that moment the pyro, the music, and then the collective energy, because that’s the biggest thing about pro wrestling and sports entertainment, can you touch them? And for them [the fans] to do that for me, they’ve made that song — I’ve had that song everywhere I went. Now we have this thing where we ‘whoa’ together, I love it.”
Cody Rhodes on the return of The Rock to WWE: “I think it’s different than everyone anticipated. The Rock is a Mount Rushmore pro wrestler-sports entertainer. If you ask anybody ‘Who is your Mount Rushmore?’ The Rock is on it. However, he came back thinking, ‘I’ll just step into the main event with Roman Reigns, me and my cousin, do this family thing,’ and I was so blessed that the fans did not want that. They wanted me to finish the story at WrestleMania 40 kicking back from WrestleMania 39. Because of that, the byproduct is the Final Boss Rock. The Final Boss, the only comparison I can make, in terms of watching him from the outside looking in, feels very Hollywood Hulk Hogan. It’s a whole other layer. I don’t want to say all kind positive things about The Rock, but I can tell you, that’s the staying power. Like you turn this and make it into something incredibly unique and very special.”
If using any of the above quotes, please credit ESPN First Take with a h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.
At WrestleMania 40, Cody Rhodes will team with Seth Rollins agains The Rock and Roman Reigns on Night 1. On Night 2, Cody Rhodes will challenge Reigns once again for the Undisputed Universal Championship. WrestleMania 40 will take place over April 6-7 at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field. The show will be broadcast live on Peaocck.
