Cody Rhodes’ Superhero-Like Moniker Took a Mental Stroll on Him: “Dead Inside, Like Sad Clown… I Had Problems at Home”

Published 02/02/2023, 6:00 AM EST

Cody Rhodes is popping off the handle when it comes to popularity in WWE. While the championship might be in someone else’s hands right now, Rhodes is the top guy in WWE at the moment, bar none. A year ago we thought it would be impossible seeing Cody in a WWE ring, but this WrestleMania season, he is ready to main event the big show.

The wrestling business is crazy sometimes, but it is always entertaining for the audience. While Cody’s return was amazing to watch, his exit from the company was something that should’ve never happened in the first place. Stardust, despite being a hit with the younger fans, wasn’t something Cody wanted to do, but WWE forced him. This led to his exit. But what was going on in his head?

Cody Rhodes reveals the Stardust trauma and its effects on his mental health

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When talking about the Stardust gimmick, Rhodes talked about his mental state at the time. He said, “I don’t blame anyone, I don’t. At this point, I blame myself. Back then, I blamed Hunter. But then they wanted me to do a gimmick like Dustin’s. Goldust is enigmatic and very envelope-pushing. It didn’t fit me. I got some hope along the way where they thought it would be its own thing. It’ll be more superhero-like.”

“Kids liked it and it was fun. It was like a mask so I at least felt I was behind something, but very dead inside, like a sad clown. That was when my dad had just passed away. I had problems at home. Didn’t want any problems at work. I handled it poorly, but it needed to be done. I just quit. Didn’t even sign my release papers.”

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During his father’s passing, the entire wrestling world was weeping. So, it might have been extra hard for Cody to keep up with the gimmick. But it turned out to be great, as leaving WWE was one of the best decisions of the youngest of the Rhodes family.

Not only did he influence the start of AEW, but he improved his skills and returned home to a grand welcome. At this point, Rhodes has just won the Royal Rumble and punched his ticket straight to the main event of WrestleMania.

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Tell us what you think about Cody’s Stardust gimmick in the comments below.

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Written by:

Murtaza Bharmal is a WWE and AEW writer at EssentiallySports. Pursuing an English Literature degree, he is very fond of both storytelling and wrestling promotions. His passion for wrestling started when Randy Orton and John Cena were squaring it off in the ring, but it magnified when Sasha Banks and Bayley put on a masterpiece in NXT.

Edited by:

Amal Joyce

Cody Rhodes’ Superhero-Like Moniker Took a Mental Stroll on Him: “Dead Inside, Like Sad Clown… I Had Problems at Home”

Cody Rhodes reveals the Stardust trauma and its effects on his mental health

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