"This isn't Broadway, this is pro wrestling" - Cody Rhodes slammed for his 'Shakespearean' promos by WWE veteran (Exclusive)
Cody Rhodes has grown a reputation for his lengthy promo segments in WWE. Fans might like The American Nightmare's skills on the microphone, but Vince Russo certainly wasn't an admirer, as he revealed on this week's Legion of RAW.
The former AEW star opened RAW by addressing the crowd, which also had his mother in attendance at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. Russo specifically spoke about Cody Rhodes' promo-delivery style and did not enjoy seeing his drawn-out 'monologues' that are more suited to a Broadway performance.
Beyond Cody's style on the mic, the former WWE writer also "didn't get" the babyface persona of Dusty Rhodes' son. The former AEW executive has been presented as one of the top faces on the roster, but Vince Russo was still not convinced by the 37-year-old as a good guy:
"It's everything about Cody's demeanor. Bro, this isn't Broadway, this is pro wrestling, and he goes out there with this monologues, he's Shakespearean, and he's on a Broadway stage, and it's like, this is freaking wrestling. Like, talk real. Wrestling needs to be real! Okay, bro? I can't believe for the life of me a professional wrestler talks this prim and proper way, using big words; what do you want to talk about? I don't get the whole Cody thing; I don't. I've never gotten the babyface thing. I don't get it, bro." [17:10 - 18:00]
Vince Russo liked Brock Lesnar and Cody Rhodes' RAW segment
Apart from Cody Rhodes' typical promo, Vince Russo loved how WWE booked Brock Lesnar's brutal assault on Monday Night RAW.
The Beast Incarnate punished Rhodes with multiple chair shots before hitting the F5 on his rival and executing the Kimura Lock. Lesnar looked merciless as he pummelled Cody Rhodes in front of the latter's family, and Russo credited WWE for writing it well.
The 62-year-old, however, had one issue with the RAW angle, as he noted below:
"I liked the way all of this was done. I really do. The only thing I don't like is why does it have to be over at 9:15. Again! That's the only thing, and that's why I keep saying, is it in Brock's contract that he gets the last flight out or whatever. This was all done very well, bro. I had no complaints about any of this, but why does it have to be over here?" [13:53 - 14:25]
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