Cody Rhodes is amazing right now.
 

Discuss him.

I started to like Cody just before his heel turn, I think it was during a promo he and Hardcore Holly cut on Santino. That's when I first realized he could talk. I always liked him better than Ted Dibiase (except for Ted's first few appearances).

Now he's taken a pretty offbeat character and absolutely run with it. You're right he's amazing.

The only shitty thing is his name being Cody. They should call him something like The Magnificent Taint Swatter.

CAWdy no more.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO There goes Cody Rhodes

His promos are off the charts, and his matches are pretty decent too. He even had a decent match with Zeke Jackson a couple weeks ago. That's impressive.

I remember thinking that he'd never amount to much when he debuted, but I'm glad I was wrong.

Had one of if not the best match at this years WM didn't he? Amazed me how well he's done, being booked right to.

The whole psychology behind his character with the transformation from slightly generic "dashing" persona to what we're seeing now is brilliant.

Just hope that he doesn't lose that extra spark when they eventually take the mask away, whenever that will be.

I think one thing that helps is that his character progression has all seemed pretty natural. From blue chip rookie, to Legacy member...and I guess the "Dashing" thing was a BIT of a jump, but they at least tried to justify it with the "divas poll'...to the Phantom of the Squared Circle...it all just makes sense. That's rare anymore.

the match he had with Rey at Extreme Rules? I think was sick as hell....but that LISP


THAT MUFUGGIN LISP KILLS ME.

oh and Rip Hamilton from the Detroit Pistons called and wants his gimmick back.

Yeah, thing is WWE just gives up on so many guys now that this character progression just doesn't happen as much.

I enjoy him as well, but honestly his lack of knee pads for whatever reason is just so....weird. Like I cant watch him without jsut focusing on his exposed knees. It just looks....odd.

I know that seems trivial, but it is just one of those weird little issues that catch my eye and will take awhile for me to get used to.

If you're not over the knee pads by now, the problem just might be you.

He's been on WWE television for 4 years now. How much getting used to do you imagine you'll need?

Judging someone for a speech impediment that he has no control over is not very nice, Mr. Wards.

Neither is comparing people to Rip Hamilton, now that you mention it. You're on time out until further notice.

hahaha

And he wore Kneed pads for most of the time. During his BOBCORE and Legacy run he was rocking old school knee pads pulled down to his Tri Force Boots, sort of like 80s Flair or Terry Taylor circa UWF

20 years of watching Wrestling with a constant of Knee pads takes more than a couple dozen short Smackdown matches to get over.

Its like Anal Rape, you dont get over that shit over night.

I like that you capitalized 'Anal Rape'. Makes it seem even more serious, somehow.

I like to drive the point home.

Much like I do during Anal Rape.

probably my favorite wrestler in the WWE right now other than CM Punk

My opinion hasn't changed since the last Cody Rhodes thread: I like him, but I wish he would wear kneepads. He looks weird/semi-naked when you can see his bear knees.

He's improved immensly since his early days but I still don't see him as a future WHC or WWE Champion but one of the greatest upper midcarders ever.

The same thing was said about most of the guys who have held the title over the last ten years.

He's doing great right now. (IN MY OPINION) He had the match and performance of the night at Wrestlemania this year.

I don't know how much longer this mask thing can last though. I mean, eventually he has to lose it. Hopefully with as good of an angle as when he got it.

Anyways, hope he makes IC champ real soon.

I personally think Cody is talented in the ring, but I think his mic work is overrated. He does a decent job of getting his point over, but he overeacts too much and to me they seem generic. Not to mention his gimmicks thus far haven't really connected to his personality. The Dashing gimmick seemed to be closer to him, but this current masked delusional thing doesn't really scream next huge superstar.

He's clearly a decent wrestler, but I don't see him being the future or the next Austin or Rock WWE is looking for. He just isn't that charasmatic or entertaining to me...

Ofcourse he's not going to be the "next" Austin or Rock. :roll:

I've always said he's better than DiBiase, I'm glad to say i've been proved right and it's not even a fair comparison anymore.

I think Cody's got an outside chance of winning the SD MITB. I know people are thinking Barrett but Rhodes has been on fire recently

Well, judging by most of the responses here, alot of ppl seem to think he's amazing. As it's concerned on the mic, I have to disagree. He's decent, but my point above was he's not as great as Austin or The Rock. So, to me the word "amazing" shouldn't be a word used to describe Cody at this stage of his career.

I'm not trying to be that guy that claims to have liked the guy well before he got popular...BUT, I remember Cody grabbed my attention during whilst inducting his father into the HoF.

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I think all anyones said(like me) is its amazing how he's progressed to this point in his career. But he aint bad on the mic either. Think its wrong to compare him to the likes of Austin/Rock as he's nothing like those two.

I think his so called "progression" is subjective to opinion. While I do agree he took advantage of a bad character change, he's nothing more than mediocre IMO. His promo work isn't anything special, b/c each one is essentially the same. With some experience on the mic, he may improve, but as of now calling him "amazing" is a stretch. I actually think it's appropriate to compare him to Austin/Rock, b/c to be considered a top star, you have to have charisma. He seems way too bland on the mic and lacks the ability to be a comfortable speaker. Again, that may improve in time, but for now, he IMO is nothing more than a good wrestler...

I'm gonna have to agree with captaincharismark here. I love me some Cody Rhodes, but i think "amazing" is kind of a stretch.

Cody Rhodes is pretty decent. His promos are good but the lack of knee pads are holding him back. Knee pads=success.

It may be a stretch, but so is...
He is already a "comfortable speaker" IN MY OPINION.

Comparing him to Austin/Rock in any way is a bit of a stretch.

He should form a tag team with jack swagger called the Seriously Sweet Super Team. Imagine them saying that with their lisps!

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I say it's legitimate, b/c in order to be a top guy, you have to possess a certain charisma. Austin/Rock had loads of it, and Cody doesn't. His promos seem more about yelling to get his point across than comfortably speaking. I'm not saying he has to be the next Austin or Rock, but he does have to own the mic like they did. When he can easily work the crowd and become a major presence, then I will agree he should be a top guy.

I do like Cody and think he has potential, but until someone can motivate him to be himself more, he'll never fully connect with the crowd...

Have never seen him as a 'top guy' anyway as he doesn't really have the size/look imo, all i've said(once again, maybe you'll listen this time) is its great how he's turned his career around and done aswell as he has. Don't know why you're arguing a different point to what is being made.

Maybe that's b/c I was responding to everyone in general here and not just you. I even agree that he's taken a bad character change and made a decent situation out of it. And the main point I was making was most here thought Cody was good on the mic and I disagreed. Imagine someone having an original thought or idea here:foc:

No prob. Had a re-read of the thread and saw where your argument came from, missed the mentions of mic skills before. :cool:

Cody can't be compared to Austin or Rock. Most wrestlers can't for that matter. I haven't really watched wrestling since Wrestlemania 25, but I've been watching again recently. Smackdown has been doing a better job keeping my attention than the other shows, and that's thanks in no small part to Cody. Is he the reason I'm watching again? No, but he does his job & does it well. Let the man grow as a performer before you compare him to the greats. He still has a good bit to go..

I mark out for Cody Rhodes. I don't really feel it's necessary to think too hard about it as a fan.

I agree SD has been doing a better job of performing more consistently than RAW. Like I said before, I do think Cody does his job decently. As far as comparing him to the greats, the only reason I did that is b/c some ppl here say he's "amazing" and I feel he hasn't reached that level yet. He has to adapt and grow more as a character before he can be called "amazing" appropriately. Marking out blindly doesn't change the fact that he has a long way to go development wise before he can be a true superstar...

Theres a difference between calling someone amazing and comparing someone to the best of all-time, though. For example, this Orton/Xian/Sheamus story is amazing, but it's no Austin/McMahon or Hogan/Sting (the real one, not The Dark Knight Wrestles).

Yes, exactly.

Again, it's all a matter of opinion. I personally think calling someone amazing is implying they are great. Which IMO Cody is decent, but not good or great at this point in his career. While I do agree he's made the best of a bad situation, he has alot of character development to do before he can be considered amazing.

You sure are taking semantics to the extreme here. When I made the thread and used the word 'amazing', I was certainly drunk, but even then, I wasn't thinking that Cody was on the same level of The Rock or Stone Cold. Nobody said anything like that at all, actually. So now that it's clarified from the guy that said the word 'amazing', are you still as bothered by it? Or is it all in the word for you? If you want, I'll even change the thread title to "Cody Rhodes is good right now".

No, because he's decent! Not good or great.

...or something along those lines.

"Cody Rhodes is a Wrestler: The Thread"

Nuh-uh! He's an entertainer!

Fuck.

"Cody Rhodes Is"

Not necessarily. What if someone has never heard of him? To them, he is not.

How very existential.

LOL

How about: "Cody Rhodes is amazing...at being a midcard talent right now"?

I may be talking samantics, but you sure are taking this seriously. To be clear, this thread never "bothered" me, b/c I don't take posting here that seriously. Just one guy's opinion. But it seems alot of ppl here have a real problem with difference of opinion. As soon as someone doesn't agree with them, they get pissed and whine b/c they react like a 5 year old. Sorry if I don't agree with your POV, but I call things as I see them. Don't like it? Grow up, b/c opinions are like assholes, and ppl like you earn that title.:foc:

You weren't even really disagreeing with my opinion, though. You were disagreeing with a sentiment that was put forward by no one but yourself (comparing Cody to Austin and The Rock) and your basis for that was purely a word I used. Having a different opinion is fine, but arguing for the sake of it is lame. It also appears to be what you do in pretty much every thread you post in.

Amen!

Especially when the guy making said point goes to great lengths to "argue his corner". Cos that's not taking it seriously, right?

Actually, to some extent I was disagreeing with you, b/c you claimed Cody was "amazing" and I don't think he's earned it yet. And apparently no one got my meaning by using the Austin/Rock analogy. My point there was Cody hasn't reached their level on the mic, and until he does the word "amazing" doesn't apply here. Most ppl here thought I meant he had to be the next Austin or Rock, Clearly every wrestler, superstar, or whatever name you wanna use has a different style. So, I never claimed Cody had to be the next Austin or Rock, but he does have to be more comfortable on the mic and be able to adapt and develop more as a character.

I never argue for the sake of arguing, but if I disagree with something, I will add my thoughts on it. And for the most part, I explain why I agree or disagree with any thread's content. How is that lame? Ppl on wrestling forums too often flame someone that doesn't go along with popular opinion. Just b/c I have my own original thoughts or ideas doesn't mean I wanna argue. It means I wanna discuss the issue and explain my POV and even learn from other opinions or ideas. Unfortunately, as demonstrated here, ppl would rather flame than discuss something. Easy to be dismissive and sarcastic to avoid discussion if you simply don't feel the need to explain your position on a topic.

Dude, relax. Don't take it all too seriously, y'know?

LOL, and I'm the serious one? :rofl:

I would love to explain my position on a matter if it is, in fact, my position. I wasn't trying to say that Cody is an elite superstar. I just used the word 'amazing', and admittedly, it was hyperbole. As far as "flaming", you were the one to call me an asshole.

Yes it does, and that was my point. Something can be amazing and not be one of the best ever.

Do you remember Venn diagrams from school? If amazing wrestlers/gimmicks/angles was one circle and the best wrestlers/gimmicks/angles of all-time was another, you could fit the latter circle into the former. Austin, Rock, the nWo, those are all in the smaller circle on the inside of the larger one that contains Cody Rhodes, Muhammad Hassan, and DDP dressed up as La Parka.

I can respect your opinion as far as thinking Cody is amazing. I simply was pointing out I didn't agree with that viewpoint. Like I've said time and again, Cody has taken a bad situation and ran with it. I give him props for that, but at the same time, he could be progressing more. His mic work seems to be complacent, which is IMO holding him back from breaking through. It's a shame, considering he has had some really good matches on SD. My main comparison with Austin and Rock was stating if his mic work was up to par with those guys, he'd be champion by now. Unfortunately, it takes some guys longer to get to that level. Nothing wrong with that. It took Steve Austin wondering through WCW, ECW, and a few years in WWE before he progressed to an elite superstar. All I'm saying is it will take some major character development and change before I'd use the word amazing in the same sentence with Cody Rhodes. He is getting there, which is promising, but he seems to be complacent and letting his opportunities slip away. Once he gets the mic work down, I think in a few years he might actually reach that elite level....

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on the issue here. When you say amazing, I think greatness or elite. While Cody hasn't reached that level, he is progressing slowly. Being the best ever isn't relevant here, b/c my comparison before was saying Cody needed his mic work to be comparable to the likes of Austin or Rock in order to be amazing, As of now, it's too forced and not quite believable to me.

Every single post of yours in this thread has said the exact same thing.

I know how AbT feels about Cody Rhodes, not so sure how christiancharismark feels about him though...

Seriously though, most people agree that Cody is at least "good" BECAUSE of his character and mic work - the 2 things ccm has criticised as "complacent".

Seems strange.

I say his work is "complacent" b/c week in and week out, he pretty much says the same things. If your character never improves or evolves, what's the point? Just b/c most ppl here blindly mark out for him means I should smile and say I like him too? Sorry, but it seems "strange" to me that when I explain why I think he needs improvement, the smarks here sidestep answering the issues I have with his character. Saying you like him and that's enough is an empty statement. It makes more sense to explain why you do or don't like him. Funny too how by me saying I don't like him and giving explainations why I don't, the smarks here flame me and bad rep me. But I take this shit seriously???:rofl:

I'd rather be considered a moron for giving my opinion and discussing something rationally than blindly marking out for a guy. I have yet to see ABT or XL say why they think Cody is so amazing. When I actually try asking for an answer after I explain why I don't like him, all they do is respond with one sentence and totally avoid the question. In several instances name calling or flaming my views. Wow, I could never see that coming. It's wrestling smarks like these that make intelligent discussion impossible at wrestling forums. They'd rather attack me for having an original thought or idea than discuss a topic. Ironic too that I'm accused of taking this seriously, but they respond to every reply I make, often not even discussing the topic itself...:foc:

You don't think Austin was complacent?

I mean, don't get me wrong, he's one of the best of all-time (although I hate his guts), but he cut the same promo, had the same match, and did the same run-in for about four years.

How have I attacked you? I stated my opinions on Cody Rhodes numerous times throughout this topic, and I never neg repped you or anything. As far as you and I go specifically, I did take a cut at your exaggeration of semantics, but that was only because you were counteracting points that I never even tried to make. I've admitted on numerous occasions that perhaps 'amazing' was an extreme term, and you can have that. That's fine. But to insinuate that I'm flaming you for your opinion is pretty far off the mark. Almost as far off the mark as you've been with your Austin/Rock comparison.

Where were you called a moron? I know that you used the word, I don't remember anybody calling you a moron though. You seem to be needlessly defensive in every thread you partake in. That's just an observation/MY OPINION, not a flame by the way.

Also, surely the term "marking out" by definition means that you don't have to give a rational explanation? Dunno. Maye I'm wrong there.

For the record, I like Cody because despite his lack of size he has 'presence'. A lot of that is because of his mic work, which, for a guy with a speak impediment, is pretty "amazing".

His delivery is solid pretty much 100% of the time, he handles what is a fairly "difficult" character very well AND he is good in the ring.

We've established that noboby thinks he is the next Austin/Rock, but I am enjoying his work in the MIDCARD - where interesting characters are very rare.

loopy, what four year span are you considering? I can't find four years, or even two years, where he was cutting the same typical promo, match, and run-in. But of course, he did do that from time to time.

and cody rhodes has been tremendous since his return from injury.

I can't be bothered reading the various posts before this... but I'd like to comment regardless.

Cody has come a long way in the last year. I would like his Phantom-ish gimmick to blossom, and for him to live underneath the ring and give advice to Ted while he wrestles.

That is all...

Ah, I just realised, he could use Undertaker's trap door!

I thought that space was reserved for Little People's Court.

As entertaining as he was, from the time he broke his neck in '97 until his heel turn in '01, you could set your watch by Austin segments.

I tend to remember being quite bored with Austin at one point. The Rock, too.

Definately for The Rock. At least Cody doesn't have 6 catchphrases that provide the foundation for all of his promos.

Sure, maybe you never directly called me a moron, but you and others implied it by bashing my POV and saying it didn't make sense. Especially as it related to using the Austin/Rock analogy. Which btw had more to do with him being a comfortable mic speaker than being the next Austin or Rock. I never said he needed to be another Austin or Rock. In fact, I did say every wrestler has their own style. Meaning, either you didn't read my post or you only read certain parts of my replies.

I don't necessarily think I'm being defensive by standing by my statements. If being defensive means being willing to debate or discuss a character's weakness objectively, then yeah I guess you could label me as defensive.

And to me, marking out for someone means liking a wrestler for obvious reasons. I suppose you could mark out for no reason, but it makes more sense to me to like wrestlers for their positives...



I do agree given his size and speech impediment, Cody has a good presence. His mic work is good, but in order for him to break through the "glass ceiling" so to speak, he has to progress more. He would make for a great IC Champion.

His promo delivery is good, but IMO he overacts and yells too much to get his point across. As far as his deformed hideous character is concerned, to me, it's too close to Kane's unmasking gimmick.

I don't even think he's the next Austin or Rock, but he does have to step it up on the mic in order to be a top superstar. When he can reach that comfort level on the mic as Austin or Rock, he'll truly be an elite superstar. I do agree I'm enjoying his mid card work, and by all rights should be IC Champ now. I'm not disagreeing there, but he could be so much more if he progressed more consistently...

BEAR KNEES

To a degree Austin was complacent after the Monday Night Wars and his neck surgery. But, his comfort level on the mic and his ability to ad lib made for alot of unforgettable promos. That's the only reason I used Austin as a comparison to Cody Rhodes. Once Cody can be as comfortable and creative on the mic as an Austin or Rock, he'll be a major superstar.

I will agree alot of his material is similar, but his reactions and delivery are the things that made him unique. Pretty much being able to cut a promo without a script is impressive in itself. Austin's work on the mic may have been predictable, but at least his stuff got the proper reactions. Look at Cena trying to go off the script. His cheesy jokes and lame attempts at ad libbing make you see how good Austin or Rock were in their days,,,

The words in bold is exactly what you've been doing throughout this whole thread. Also, ABT wasn't being defensive by standing by his statements. He was just trying to make sure you understood that you only read part of his post and only parts of his replies. Also, a person can mark out with no reason whatsoever. That's what makes it marking out. Troll on.

BEAR KNEES!

I'm still not sure how captaincharismark feels about Cody/his mic skills. Can somebody run it by me again?

Funny how I'M the one NOT READING replies throughly here:rofl:

The logic in this statement is baffling and almost "hilarious", but I don't think you've earned "hilarious" just yet.

Looks like my sarcasm has gone straight over your head. Bit of role reversal there.

Obviously there's a thin line between sarcasm and being a dumbass. I'm pretty sure any logic or actual discussion has long been discarded. It's clear petty shot taking and lame attempts at being funny take precedent over any intelligent talk about wrestling. When someone doesn't agree with all the 16 year old smarks here, they'd rather react in a childish manner than stay on topic...

You're so hard done by.

You're making yourself look really, really stupid.