Cody Rhodes Didn’t Learn Wrestling Was Scripted Until Age 14

The world of professional wrestling depends on the suspension of disbelief among fans as it’s a known fact that the business is scripted, though there are many who aren’t aware of kayfabe. In fact, Cody Rhodes has now revealed that he wasn’t even aware of kayfabe until he was a teenager.

While speaking on the 2 Bears 1 Cave podcast, Cody Rhodes explained that he didn’t fully understand kayfabe until he was a teenager, as his father Dusty Rhodes wanted him to always believe in the magic of wrestling.

“My daughter’s only three and a half, and I’m struggling with how to explain it to her because my dad never explained it to me. There’s this term, kayfabe, and he just figured it was best for me to always believe.”

Cody Rhodes remembered how the Four Horsemen broke his dad’s arm and later his leg in a cage match. He once found a big cast in his father’s closet that looked like the one he had when he broke his leg. The cast had hinges and could open up. At the time, Cody thought it was part of the show, not realizing it was used for public appearances.

“For example, the Four Horsemen broke his arm—and at another point, they broke his leg in a cage match. I remember finding this big cast in his closet. It was huge, like the one I had when I broke my leg on my four-wheeler, except it had hinges and opened up. I thought, ‘Oh, I want that cast next time,’ not realizing it was just for show—something he used for the public.”

Cody Rhodes admitted that his father raised him with an old-school mindset, which he doesn’t necessarily recommend. Growing up, he would meet wrestlers like Ric Flair and Arn Anderson, whom his dad had portrayed as heels. He developed a disdain for them, not understanding that they were actually his father’s partners who worked together to make money and sell tickets.

The American Nightmare revealed that wasn’t until he was 14 that he began to understand the true nature of wrestling, and part of the reason it took so long was because he wanted to believe in the magic.

“He raised me very old school, which I wouldn’t recommend. I’d meet people like Ric Flair and Arn Anderson, these so-called enemies of his, and I’d already have a disdain for them. I didn’t understand they were his partners, the people he worked with to make money and sell tickets. I was 14 before I fully understood it, and I think part of the reason it took so long was because I wanted to believe in the magic.”

Two moments stood out for Cody Rhodes that made him realize what pro wrestling was about. One was when he saw DDP and Hacksaw Jim Duggan practicing their match during the day at a show in Daytona. He noted that it was unusual to see wrestlers go over their moves like that, and that’s when Cody started to understand the business. Later, when he saw Hacksaw hit a big boot during their match, it helped Cody realize how wrestling worked.

“There were two moments that really stood out. One was when I saw DDP wrestling Hacksaw Jim Duggan. They were on a show in Daytona, and earlier in the day, around 3:00, they were out in the ring going over their match. That’s not something you see often—wrestlers practicing like that. They were in the middle of a heated rivalry, and I watched them. At that moment, I thought, ‘Okay, if this is how it works, then I guess I understand.’ Of course, later in the match, Hacksaw delivered a big boot, just like I’d seen earlier, and I realized, ‘Oh, that’s it. That’s how it’s done.'”

It’s clear that Dusty Rhodes simply wanted his son to experience the magic of professional wrestling without the inner workings and just as a fan, so it’s not hard to see why The American Nightmare smartened up to the business at the age of 14.

What do you think of Cody Rhodes’ story about growing up in wrestling? Do you believe the magic of kayfabe should still be kept alive for younger generations? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.

Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.