"I have a tremendous amount of respect for him"- Top AEW heel breaks character to heap praise on Cody Rhodes
AEW star Malakai Black recently broke character to lavish praise on Cody Rhodes, saying he has nothing but respect for the two-time TNT Champion.
Black and Rhodes have been embroiled in a long-standing feud since July earlier this year when the Dutchman debuted for All Elite Wrestling. Their rivalry was seemingly resolved at Full Gear 2021, where Cody Rhodes and PAC defeated Malakai Black and Andrade El Idolo in a tag team match.
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Despite their on-screen differences, Black has a positive equation with his rival in real-life. In a recent chat with TalkSport, Malakai Black stated he has a "tremendous amount of respect" for Cody Rhodes.
He added that his rivalry with the AEW EVP wasn't about winning or losing but to see how far he could push his opponent. Black also said he forced Rhodes to push his limits and embrace his violent streak, contrary to how he usually believes in playing by the rule book.
“I have a tremendous amount of respect for Cody. It wasn’t about pinfalls for me, it was about how far I could push Cody. The guy who would have usually reached the ropes was stomping me in the face. Or the guy who in the beginning wouldn’t have thought about putting me through a table because he’s too much of a guy that plays by the rules, he put me through the table," said Malakai Black.
AEW star Malakai Black is reportedly suffering from an injury
As per a recent report, Black sustained an injury during his tag team match at Full Gear 2021. Though the nature of his injury is unclear, he missed the Big Event convention in New York City, which gave way to the rumors.
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Along with him, even Eddie Kingston, who lost a hard-hitting match against CM Punk at the pay-per-view, is also dealing with an undisclosed injury. It now remains to be seen if Malakai Black and The Mad King appear on this week's Dynamite or take some time off to recuperate from their injuries.
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