Cody Rhodes’ long time in the wrestling industry may lead fans to believe he’s immune to problems that impact other wrestlers in the business, but his reality series Rhodes to the Top likely dismantled that notion pretty quickly. The upcoming season finale for the TNT reality series revisits the beginning of Rhodes’ feud with Malakai Black and the reaction Rhodes had when the crowd booed him.
I spoke to Cody Rhodes ahead of the season finale of Rhodes to the Top and revisited the crowd’s jeers during his first match with Malakai Black in AEW. In the finale, fans will get a good look at Rhodes’ reaction to the boos firsthand and how he felt about it at that moment. Rhodes previewed the moment in our interview and explained why it’s still hard for him to watch those moments:
It is really the craziest time for me as a wrestler. I grew up wanting to be the top dog and the face of a brand, and in the first three years, I was really that. I was very proud of that. And I was fortunate to have that moment. As times change, new free agents come, and as my own, you know, I hate using the term ‘brand’, but as my footprint, I guess, gets bigger in the entertainment world, there's a polarization that comes with that. And that doesn't scare me as much as it jars me. That's what people are seeing. That's the thing. Like, it's hard for me to watch that episode. It's jarring as a wrestler. All you need them to do is make noise, whether it's booing or cheering, you just need them as Tully Blanchard would say, ‘The loudest, the longest.’ But it's definitely jarring, and it's what I wanted my whole life to be. So capturing of the imagination that there's a polarization to it, but I don't want to take that for granted either. I'm jarred by it, and people tuning into Rhodes to the Top and the finale coming up will see that more of how I'm coming to terms with that and how that evolves every day.
The AEW Executive Vice President of Talent knows his position can create polarizing views and that fans may sour on the top babyface of the company. After all, Cody Rhodes isn’t the first superstar to be the top good guy and have the fans turn on him.
Still, that doesn’t mean it’s any easier for Cody Rhodes to bear, as the season finale brings more insight and analysis of the situation from his perspective. Obviously, the finale doesn’t end with Cody Rhodes walking away from pro wrestling, considering he’s still a pretty big part of AEW.
Rhodes to the Top’s finale also features the beginnings of Cody and wife Brandi Rhodes’ foray into parenthood. Fans can expect to see baby Liberty following her birth, as well as what went on behind the scenes at the second showdown between Rhodes and Malakai Black at Grand Slam. It’s an exciting finale to watch, especially considering it’ll air after Black and Rhodes face off for a third time on an airing of AEW: Saturday Night Dynamite.
Rhodes to the Top’s Season 1 finale airs on TNT Saturday, October 23 at 10:00 p.m. ET. Hopefully, fans can get a better understanding of Cody Rhodes’ journey by watching the finale, and possibly gain a little respect for the hard work he's done over the past few years in the process.
