Cody Rhodes reflects on the uncertainty that surrounded the road to WrestleMania 39.
In a interview with David Dennis Jr. of ESPN, Rhodes acknowledged the way fans rallied around Sami Zayn, even after he won the Royal Rumble match and seemingly clinched his spot in a match with Reigns. Some of the WWE Universe wanted to see Zayn headline WrestleMania, and Rhodes revealed that he wanted there to be a point where they had to decide. He made it clear that this dynamic was scary, but he was confident “the wave” would favor him.
“I wanted there to be a point where the audience decided,” Rhodes said. “That’s scary, but when you’re a young wrestler you always get mad at other wrestlers doing well. But as you get older, it’s like, oh, great, that’s awesome. I didn’t have a clue where it was ending or where it was going. But I knew there was going to be a positive. I knew the wave was coming for me.”
Earlier in the interview, Rhodes highlighted his connection with the audience; specifically, when reflecting on his Hell in a Cell Match with Seth Rollins, he emphasized that the fans are a vital part of the action.
“The thing I was missing was a connection with the audience,” Rhodes said. “I didn’t realize how important it is to connect with them. You can’t do this amazing high-speed, unbelievable sequence if no one’s watching. You gotta bring them into it and then you can do whatever the heck you want.”
Rhodes will challenge Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania 39.
