Cody Rhodes may not be the star he is today if not for Booker T.
The 6-time World Champion departed TNA in 2010 and made a surprise return to WWE in the 2011 Royal Rumble. The Hall of Famer would go on to spend the majority of his time behind the announce desk in 2011 until he was targeted in November by Rhodes, who was the Intercontinental Champion at the time. The match was set for TLC where Rhodes would successfully retain the title against Booker T. According to the former King of the Ring, this was all by design to elevate Rhodes.
While appearing on The Kurt Angle Show, the Hall of Famer discussed his rivalry with Cody Rhodes. Booker T revealed that he personally requested to work with Rhodes as no one saw potential in him at that time. The NXT announcer also joked that he deserves a financial reward for being a part of the creation of The American Nightmare:
“I feel like I got a big part of Cody’s rise. He owes me a check (he laughs). I saw something in Cody back then when no one was really giving him a chance. I saw something in Cody Rhodes. No one came to me with that and said, ‘Hey Book, you want to work Cody?’ I did that. That’s the first time I’ve ever asked to work with someone. That’s the first time in my whole career that I’ve ever asked to get in the ring and not just work with someone, but put him over. I said, ‘I want to put him over right in the middle.’ I’m looking up at the lights 1-2-3.”
Booker T Praises Cody Rhodes For His Determination Following WWE Exit
As is well known amongst wrestling fans, Rhodes would be creatively frustrated in 2016 and asked for his release from WWE. The American Nightmare would become one of the biggest names on the independent scene before being integral in the creation of AEW and going on to make a WWE return in 2022.
Booker T continued his praise of Rhodes by admiring what the Raw accomplished in his time away. The Hall of Famer also credited Rhodes’ professionalism while on the independent scene:
“For him to leave a company and go out there and rebuild himself and brand himself, and then the company says, ‘Hey, we want you back. We need you back under this umbrella.’ For him to be doing what he’s doing now, he did that all on his own, man. So I give him major props for being a guy who grew up in this business, but was willing to go out there on that independent scene, and that’s a grind. That’s a grind. I’m gonna tell you.
I’ve been at a couple of independent shows and he would show up and everybody else looked like a bum. Cody would have that suit on. His hair was well coiffed. You learn, because Cody, every time he saw me, I was always dressed. I was always looking the part and for Cody to pick that up and, you know, figure that out, I was proud of that kid.”
Continuing the praise of Rhodes, a former WWE star revealed how he was one of few people to wait around after Cody Rhodes lost at WrestleMania and how much The American Nightmare respected them for it.
With Survivor Series now in the books, Cody Rhodes revealed what he and Randy Orton said to each other at the event.
H/t to Wrestling News.co