When Cody Rhodes defeated Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania last year, he finally finished the story.
Part of what made his victory so impactful was the fact his father, WWE Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes, never held the title. An icon who helped shape the wrestling business - and helped create many of today's biggest stars thanks to his time in NXT - Dusty is a true legend.
However, not everyone is particularly well-versed in pro wrestling history and that means some younger WWE Superstars aren't familiar with Dusty's work.
In a new interview, the American Nightmare explained why people being unfamiliar with his late father doesn't bother him.
"I have found not to get mad at them for not knowing what they don't know, right? It was a long time ago. We think of Macho Man [Randy Savage] and [Hulk] Hogan like it was yesterday, they're almost 30 years ago. It was almost 30 years ago... It's a very long time ago. You talked to me about the Von Erichs, okay, now 'The Iron Claw' is out. This is pre-Iron Claw. I don't get mad at them for not knowing, but the only way we learn how to do this pro wrestling thing is from those who did it on a money-drawing level. That's the only way.
"In the gorilla position, we have Michael Hayes, we have Paul Heyman, we have Triple H. There's a few others. They did it, so as long as those people know when they come up, to go to them. Don't come to me. I'm like, 'Go to them. They actually know the answers to your questions.' I feel like the knowledge gets passed on. It's concerning, though. You're like, 'Hey, we've got to keep this going. We're breaking all these records and doing all this unbelievable business.' It's concerning, but also, you can't get mad at them."
Cody is an in-ring veteran at this point as he started his career way back in 2006. He's been a rookie and is keenly aware that not everyone grew up in the business as he did; with that in mind, there's clearly no snobbery on his part when it comes to pro wrestling knowledge.
Elsewhere in the interview, Cody singled out current Women's United States Champion Chelsea Green for the way she's excelled and connected with fans by making the most of what she's been given to work with over the years.
"If you come to WWE, here’s a girl named Chelsea Green. She just won the first-ever WWE Women’s US Title. She is somebody who, everything you ever give her, makes the most of it. It seems like the generation that’s coming, and I could be totally wrong, this could just be old-man speak, it doesn’t seem like they have that mindset."
"I always went into it thinking the biggest I could possibly be. I met a guy, this was during my time away from WWE when I left, I remember him saying to me and my wife in the car, because he was running his own promotion, he said, 'I don’t know why everybody thinks so big.' In my mind, I’m like, connecting with Brandi [Rhodes] on a telepathic level. Like, 'This guy sucks.' Like, why wouldn’t we think big? Doesn’t mean we’re gonna hit big, but I’d rather go for it all, go all in. Go for it all, and then see where I land."
You can watch the full interview with Rhodes in the player below.