Cody Rhodes Reflects On WWE Debut, Says He Was Debuted In the Best Possible Way

Cody Rhodes recently looked back on his debut match for WWE as a rookie, and said he was debuted “in the best possible way.” Rhodes is the Undisputed WWE Champion now, but in July of 2007 he was a fresh rookie and faced off with Randy Orton. Orton of course would go on to become a mantor to Rhodes in Legacy, and they competed for Rhodes’ title at WrestleMania 42.

Rhodes spoke about the match while watching back his career highlights for ESPN and had plenty of critiques about his look. He noted that being debuted as a rookie was the best option as he could make his mistakes and learn. You can see the highlights below:

On His Reaction To Watching the Match:

“Everyone looks different… I mean, it’s funny that this is a WrestleMania main event — I don’t know, almost 20 years later? But couple things that are a little funny here. The John Deere green trunks, and then a cardinal sin in the wrestling business. What I’m wearing, the trunks, but I’m also wearing white under trunks, which is — should never do that. Dad’s at ringside. And I think I got — the crowd actually bit on a missile dropkick as a potential 1-2-3, which is hilarious.”

On How He Was Debuted:

“The way they did this is the best way you could possibly introduced in wrestling though. They introduced me as a rookie. So, if you introduce me as a rookie, I can make my mistakes, I can learn. And then 20 years later, maybe you learn from your mistakes. I mean sincerely, that’s what we did with WrestleMania this past year. So, this is uh pretty trippy to to see.

“But I wouldn’t have it any other way with how I debuted. Uh you debuted in a losing fashion. They didn’t roll the red carpet out, but I got to learn in front of the live audience for the last 20 years, really.”

On If He Was Nervous For the Match:

“Well, I didn’t have nerves are always there. I’m a fairly nervous person, but I deal well with nerves. In terms of I can channel them into, ‘Let me make the most of this.’ The fight or flight type vibe that runs through your body.

“But I think the thing I learned here was, you can have the psychological skill, you can have the fundamental skill. But presentation, this is WWE. You’ve got to have the best type of presentation, and I hadn’t figured out what my presentation was going to be. I didn’t have ‘Kingdom’ as an entrance song. I didn’t have a cool robe. My gear barely fit, I’m wearing hand-me-down boots from my brother, I think. I hadn’t I hadn’t earned the right to do the roads bleached blonde yet.”

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit ESPN with a h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.