Cody Rhodes Explains His Beef With Lance Archer

By Joshua Gagnon

Yesterday, Cody did an interview with Bleacher Report Live and spoke about why he and Lance Archer have had issues as of late. Archer signed with AEW in February, then quickly added Jake Roberts as his advisor. The duo immediately went after Cody, looking for his "piece of the pie," according to Roberts.

Cody and Archer have not yet had a match, but could meet in the finals of the TNT Championship Tournament at Double or Nothing on May 23. Archer still has to get through either Kip Sabian or Dustin Rhodes. Cody faces the winner of Darby Allin and Sammy Guevera. Both of those tournament matches will take place on this Wednesday's Dynamite.

In regards to Archer, Cody didn't mince his words about not being a fan of Archer.

"Sometime you just don't like people and you kind of want to discredit them," Cody said. "It's always good to be self aware ? especially in wrestling ? when you don't like someone. Lance Archer is someone I don't like. I even took a veiled shot at him about his run with the New Japan US Title ? a title I also held. So, in burying him, for a moment, I was legit burying myself. I don't like Lance Archer. I think it's hype."

Cody was then pressed more on why he didn't like Archer and the AEW star looked to them both being Texans, along with the thought of being extra hard on guys that he feels are similar to the path he's traveled.

"I'm a former Texan and maybe it's because he's a Texan and there's just a natural city-by-city Texas rivalry that has always existed," Cody responded. "That's why college sports and high school sports are so competitive.

"Here's another deep-dive psychological, me examining myself as to perhaps why I don't like him. I was somebody who was undervalued and underappreciated. Now I'm not undervalued and underappreciated, and I feel like I got to the light at the end of the tunnel. I'm harder on those same guys because a lot of times when you're called 'underrated,' you're not. You're just not doing the work or you're missing a piece of your game. So, I'm harder on guys that really come from my own boat. Perhaps for him, I don't really want to admit yet that he's undervalued.

"But I'm admitting it to you fully now ? we're live ? he's certainly been undervalued up until this point. He's heated up to the right degree now and he's right near the top of AEW as far as a real, true super heavyweight. For a guy I dislike, I've got nothing but good things to say about what he does in the ring, actually."

You can check out Cody's comments in the clip below.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit Bleacher Report Live and give a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

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