Arn Anderson recently did an interview with Busted Open Radio (per Fightful), where he discussed a wide range of topics.
During the interview, Anderson discussed Cody Rhodes’ run as the Undisputed WWE Champion.
“I had Cody teeter-tottering when he was with AEW, at the point of just adjusting his attitude a little bit, understanding that if you’re gonna go out there and tell the wrestling world and all the boys in every locker room your goal is to be the champion, you’re gonna do whatever you have to do be the champion, well then you need to go out and do some things you’re not used to doing. I had him at least listening to me. Cody, if somebody thumps you in the nose, you slap them in the face. If they slap you in the face, you knock them on their ass. If you’re not willing to one-up whoever that opponent is and do whatever’s necessary, if a guy gets behind you and sticks his thumb in your mouth, bite his thumb off. I could see no one had ever talked to him that way, certainly his dad didn’t teach him to be that way, his brother didn’t teach him to be that way, and I think his desire to be a kid’s champion and be a role model prevented him from even considering things like that. But in this world, this day, if a guy tries to go in your eye, you have to one-up the aggression. I had him right at that point, but he decided to make the choice and switch companies. I still feel like the only way he’s gonna be able to stay at the top, if he truly wants to have one of those colossal, unbelievable runs in this business, he’s gonna have to be more aggressive, more willing to do some things that might some people’s feelings or even scare somebody, like oh my god, I never saw that side of him. That side of him is what’s going to sustain him as a champion, I feel like it.”
