Cody Rhodes had some real talk about one of wrestling’s hardest truths: almost nobody wants to give up their spot. Speaking to Andrew Schulz, the WWE star claimed that 99.9% of wrestlers would rather hold on than step aside — and pointed to John Cena’s final WWE run as the gold standard for doing the opposite.
Cody Rhodes (Credits: Ringside News)
Rhodes believes Cena’s farewell could be remembered for something far bigger than wins or championships. “I think John probably will go down because he spent an entire year doing the honors. He didn’t just pick one,” Cody said, noting that Cena “took a bet on a few” wrestlers on his way out rather than simply passing the torch to one chosen successor.
“Doing the Job” vs “Doing the Honors”
Cody drew a sharp line between simply losing a match and truly putting someone over. “Doing the job” is just taking the pin. “Doing the honors” means an established star does everything possible to make the moment belong to the wrestler they’re elevating — and that’s exactly how he says Cena handled his final year.
Cena wasn’t the only name Cody praised. When Schulz asked for other examples of wrestlers who knew how to give back, Rhodes pointed to Triple H and The Undertaker, adding that “probably all your faves” understood the art.
Why Letting Go Is So Hard
Cody was honest about the other side of the equation. Wrestlers can spend years grinding to reach a certain level, so there’s natural selfishness in not wanting to let go. When Schulz brought up Hulk Hogan as a wrestler historically accused of never stepping aside, Cody didn’t bite on singling him out — insisting nearly every wrestler feels the same pull. He also dodged a detour into the Montreal Screwjob debate entirely: “I am not going to get into Wrestling with Shadows with you.”
The bottom line for Cody? Truly putting someone over takes far more than a simple loss, and Cena understood that better than almost anyone.
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Source: Ringside News — read the full story there.