Brodie Lee and Cody Rhodes put on one of the most brutal yet brilliant matches of 2020. However, prior to their stunning dog-collar match, Brodie Lee decimated Cody on Dynamite to win the TNT Championship. It was a wonderful squash match which instantly made the Dark Order look like a legitimate threat in AEW.

Cody Rhodes reveals what inspired his match with Brodie Lee

Rhodes appeared on the Talk is Jericho podcast where he revealed the inspiration for the iconic match against Brodie Lee. According to the former TNT Champion, he wanted to channel Antonio Inoki vs Vader through his match with Brodie Lee.

“Well, I wanted to do Vader-Inoki. I wanted to do it for a while, but no one fit the profile. I thought, no one’s done that. It would be really shocking. It would be the right call because in wrestling anything can happen on any given night, and we have to constantly remind them of that. And also, he’s near seven feet.” 

Cody wanted to use Brodie’s ability to be incredibly mobile, even though he weighed around 300 pounds.

“I think the first thing he caught me with was a dropkick. It would make all the sense in the world that could be the thing, that could be the piece that puts me out. It’s the liver shot, [and] the shot on the jaw.”

How did Cody convince Brodie to do the squash match?

Brodie Lee didn’t believe Cody when he was told about how the match would play out.

“I told him, ‘This is the easiest match you’ll ever have.’ He didn’t believe me. I was like, ‘Yeah, I don’t want to do anything.”

The only offence Cody inflicted was a few punches. Brodie wanted to hook Cody’s leg while pinning him, but he did not allow that either. After nailing him with a devastating discus lariat, Brodie simply pinned Cody’s chest to the mat with his huge hands.

After the match ended, the Dark Order attacked the Nightmare Family who came to Cody’s aid. He revealed that it was Arn Anderson’s idea to have the Dark Order’s Anna Jay choke out Cody’s wife, Brandi.