Dustin Rhodes Recalls Facing Brother Cody At AEW Double Or Nothing
In the early days of AEW, many fans argued that the company's greatest match was a battle of brothers — Cody Rhodes vs. Dustin Rhodes at AEW Double or Nothing 2019. Though it was nearly five years ago, the match has stayed in the minds of fans because of the breadth of emotion and logical storytelling on display. During a recent conversation with Denise Salcedo, Dustin made a bold claim about the match in relation to the rest of his career.
"That was a very special night for me," Rhodes said. "And I've listened to Cody [talk] about it. It's not ... his top match, he says, but man, it's mine. ... It's very special in my heart."
Rhodes then expressed pride at being able to deliver a match like that at the age of 50. The veteran recalled feeling nervous before hearing the crowd's reaction, but those nerves went away once he got out in front of them. When they began chanting the name of his father, Dusty Rhodes, Dustin stated that the moment gave him chills.
"And then all the sudden, the sound and everybody in the arena become blurry to me," Rhodes continued. "I'm so focused on Cody and what we need to do right now to get it to where it is. Because for years and years, I was told, 'No.' It wasn't good enough to be on WrestleMania or whatever, so we had a thing to prove here."
According to Rhodes, the two brothers were able to create magic in the ring together that night. The AEW star shared his belief that the match will eventually become remembered as one of the all-time greats.
Dustin On Cody Leaving AEW For WWE
As for his brother, Dustin said that he was sad when Cody left AEW while also understanding that it was a decision he had to make for himself. Cody saw unfinished business in WWE and took a chance with a major career move.
"He has a story that he's had in his mind that he has to finish," Rhodes stated. "I think he's probably slated for it this year. At least I'm hoping. He doesn't know yet, so we're kind of just playing it by ear."
He'll be pulling for Cody come WWE WrestleMania 40, believing that one member of the family should win the top title in the company before all is said and done. Not only does Dustin feel that Cody has the wrestling talent to succeed there, but he'll have plenty of business acumen to help him move forward in WWE as well.
This past Saturday, Cody won the WWE Men's Royal Rumble match for the second year in a row, becoming only the fourth person to ever do so. Following the match, after making a quick reference to AEW EVPs Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks, Cody made it clear that he had his sights set on Roman Reigns for WWE WrestleMania 40. However, there is plenty of time left before the big event and a wide array of injuries. It's too early to determine if that decision is set in stone, as evidenced by the interaction between Cody and Seth Rollins on last night's "WWE Raw."
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Denise Salcedo with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.