"He did it all" - WWE Hall of Famer recalls how Cody Rhodes prepared him for his AEW debut
WWE Hall of Famer Diamond Dallas Page recently discussed his AEW debut. He also recalled how former star Cody Rhodes helped him train for the mega event.
News of Cody Rhodes' AEW departure continues to be a prominent point of discussion within the wrestling universe. Joined by his Elite comrades, Cody set the wheels in motion to facilitate the birth of AEW, serving as a founding father to the upstart promotion.
As an EVP, Cody worked behind the scenes to help produce AEW programming and craft stories both inside and outside the ring, continuing to serve as the face of the revolution after All In.
During a recent interview with Fightful, Diamond Dallas Page got to speak about his interactions with Cody:
"Well Cody is like my nephew, we're super close since he's been 12 years old, and when he went to AEW, of course it was him and the Young Bucks and Kenny that really put that whole All In together, and of course Adam Page too he was a part of that group of guys that really put it together. But Cody was the cat who really was booking at that time, All In was all his, he did it all." (20:42-21:17)
He also shed light on Cody's role in his AEW debut. He admitted that he felt the allure of the bigger stage of the Jacksonville-based promotion:
"I was there from the backstage to the production meeting to everything and it was, if he never got to do it again, he got to do what his old man did. But then it turned into something bigger than that and then I find out they're going to be on TNT, so I go over to him and I tell him listen this is going to be on TNT dude, I gotta do a match, I gotta get out there and do more," DDP said. (21:21-21:45)
Vote: bit.ly/3vr2XA0 to win!
@THEVinceRusso's pick @EdgeRatedR is up against @RealDDP's pick @The_MJF for the #SKWrestlingAwards' 'Promo skills of the year'.
Who's your pick? Vote now! https://t.co/AKnVfDMQ3s
DDP is part of the star-studded panel for the first-ever Sportskeeda Wrestling Awards. You can join him and other experts in determining the biggest winners of 2021 by casting your vote in the link here.
DDP could have never predicted his AEW debut
The WCW legend still can't quite believe how his debut came about, claiming it would have been considered impossible a few decades ago. His match against the team of MJF, The Butcher, and the Blade saw Page compete for the sixth consecutive decade.
WEDNESDAY! @AEWrestling @AEWonTNT #BashAtTheBeach #DDP #AEW #AEWonTNT #AEWWrestling #DDPY https://t.co/xL4OxOn5T3
In the match, he took a leap of faith from the top rope to the outside where Butcher and Blade stood. It has remained Page's final in-ring move till now.
"If you told me 19 years ago that DDP would have been back on TNT with a company called AEW I'd have to say you were smoking cr**k. To do a match and go in for a comeback and make it look good, and then he says "and then at the end you go up the top rope" and I was like: I don't know about that one. That is my last move ever as of right now, that's kind of crazy." (28:06-29:01)
Despite being retired for decades, DDP is still in excellent shape and helps many people with his fitness program. But would you like to see him back in the ring one more time? Let us know in the comments section below.
(If you use quotes from this article, please credit Fightful and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription)