Cody Rhodes believes there is a major difference between being popular in WWE and truly being “over,” and only a handful of wrestlers have reached the latter in his eyes.
The subject came up during Rhodes’ appearance on “Flagrant” when Andrew Schulz praised Je’Von Evans and the way WWE is currently building the 22-year-old star.
Schulz compared WWE’s approach to music. A wrestler can be the equivalent of a “hot song,” but sustained success eventually creates a legacy. He noted that WWE is gradually building Evans so that, rather than simply being given a championship, fans eventually want to see him win it.
That distinction prompted Rhodes to explain the difference between popularity and being truly over.
“I only think two guys, maybe three, are over,” Rhodes said.
Naturally, Schulz wanted names.
“The Rock, John Cena and one unnamed,” Rhodes responded.
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Did Cody Rhodes Mean Roman Reigns?
Rhodes was immediately asked whether the unnamed wrestler was still in WWE.
“Yeah,” he answered.
The hosts seemed to pick up on what Rhodes was suggesting without requiring him to say anything else.
“Copy, I think we know what you’re saying,” Schulz responded.
“Probably,” Rhodes said, before adding, “I’m not saying me.”
Rhodes didn’t name the third wrestler, but the hosts quickly appeared to connect the dots. AlexxMedia suggested that Rhodes simply didn’t want to say Roman Reigns’ name. Rhodes sat silently and did not correct him.
Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns’ Real-Life Tension Appears to Remain
Two and a half years removed from WrestleMania 40, Rhodes won the match, but Reigns never really surrendered his place as WWE’s biggest attraction.
Despite appearing significantly less than Rhodes, Reigns remains WWE’s biggest needle mover, with an aura that has arguably only grown on a reduced schedule. Rhodes, meanwhile, has carried the week-to-week responsibility of being one of WWE’s top stars.
That dynamic makes this exchange interesting. Rhodes has always worn his heart on his sleeve, and the very thing that got him “over” with WWE fans is his willingness to be vulnerable. Earlier in the interview, Schulz also mentioned that Rhodes and Reigns did not speak while working together on the Street Fighter set.
Rhodes did not comment on the observation.
Between their silence on set and his reluctance to even say Reigns’ name here, it certainly appears there is still some real competitive tension between the two men who spent years fighting over WWE’s top spot.
