wrestling / News

Cody Rhodes on Tension With Seth Rollins Nearly Boiling Into a Fight Backstage

March 29, 2023 | Posted by Jeffrey Harris
Cody Rhodes Seth Rollins WrestleMania 38 Image Credit: WWE

– During an appearance earlier today on The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz, WWE Superstar Cody Rhodes discussed tension backstage with Seth Rollins nearly leading to them getting into an actual fight. While it didn’t happen, Cody Rhodes spoke on the situation during the interview. Below are some highlights (via Fightful):

Cody Rhodes on tension nearly leading to a fight with Seth Rollins backstage: “I almost would say that I like less people than I dislike in terms of the backstage setting. The competition that exists in wrestling, you see that suspension of disbelief on-screen, but backstage it is very real in terms of the competition, who is going to be on top. For example, who is going to headline WrestleMania. This year, being Roman Reigns and myself, it doesn’t garner a lot of friends. Seth Rollins is the closest I’ve ever had to backstage turning into a fist fight in front of all of our peers and upper management. It didn’t happen. Him and I absolutely can’t stand one another, I’d probably try and rip his eyes out.”

On having a physical altercation with another wrestler earlier in his career: “I’ve had one backstage skirmish. I’m not going to name the guy. The good thing is, I won. When I came back, this is early in my career, he was wearing one of my vests. I have these special leather vests that I wore as part of my entrance. He was wearing it and kind of mocking me at the talent-viewing position. As I went walking towards him, I thought I was going to headbutt him, but a headbutt seems pretty violent these days. I thought, ‘why don’t I just grapple him?’ I have a good folkstyle Greco background. I got an over-under and swept him to the floor. Then I took my jacket and I looked like a complete jerk in front of everybody because he was probably just having a good time and it was probably funny. Only one fight backstage and I won that fight.”

When Cody Rhodes returned to WWE last year, he faced Seth Rollins as his opponent at WrestleMania 38 in a winning effort. They fought twice more at WWE premium live events, with Cody winning all their matchups, including a Hell in a Cell Match, where Cody wrestled with a torn pectoral muscle. The performance won Cody an ESPY Award for Best WWE Moment of the Year.