On a recent edition of his “The ARN Show” podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Arn Anderson discussed Cody Rhodes winning the Undisputed WWE Universal Title from Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40 (Night Two), trying to convince Rhodes to stay in AEW, and more.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On what Cody Rhodes has been able to accomplish: “He bet on himself. When he left the WWE for the first time, nobody including me thought it was a great idea. Because they were offering him a lot of money to stay. But he had a game plan, and he knew what he had to do to execute it. And he made the decision to move on and what a career he had on his own, until he made his way back to WWE.
“And I was one of the guys that, I didn’t want him to leave AEW. I certainly encouraged him to stay because he was kind of in control of his own destiny. We had that conversation. But I also had this to come in right behind it. ‘If whatever decision you make is for the good of your family, then it can’t be wrong’… If you’re building a roster, if you started from ground zero, ‘Tomorrow I’m going to build a company.’ Who do you want that’s marketable, that’s a tremendous performer, that’s somebody that you can depend on, that’s going to draw you money and going to sell merch and is just got to be a valuable guy to have in the locker room all the way around? That would be Cody.”
On Paul Heyman’s WWE Hall of Fame induction: “Well, he certainly earned it. I mean, his body of work throughout the industry. And I think that should play a part of some of the entrance into the Hall of Fame, just their body of work. You know, it’s not that they were used on top and there were in so many main events, or X number of big matches or all that. But what was their body of work contributing to the business? And a guy like Paul Heyman, how can you deny him? You know, he’s been there for 25 years?”
On Barry Windham and Mike Rotunda’s induction: “You know, Barry and Mike, so happy for those guys. Any accolade you can give Barry Windham is probably not enough. You know, we say it all the time, that guy was so good. Mike Rotundo is a tremendous performer, probably underrated for just what he brings to the table. I mean, the guy can have a great match with anybody, and a good solid guy. And with the year that he’s had [losing Bray Wyatt], I’m glad that he had something to really just feature him. To get his mind on just his career, because he did. If you knew Mike as a producer, if you knew him as a performer, you saw just how in tune he was. And I’m very happy for both of those guys as well.”
In a recent episode of his podcast, “The ARN Show,” WWE Hall of Famer Arn Anderson discussed various topics, including Cody Rhodes winning the Undisputed WWE Universal Title from Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40 (Night Two) and trying to convince Rhodes to stay in AEW.
Anderson praised Rhodes for his decision to bet on himself and leave WWE. Despite the tempting offer of a lucrative contract, Rhodes had a game plan and knew he had to execute it outside of WWE. Anderson admitted that he was one of the individuals who didn’t want Rhodes to leave AEW, as he believed Rhodes had control over his own destiny in the company. However, Anderson also acknowledged that if Rhodes made the decision for the good of his family, it couldn’t be wrong.
Anderson emphasized Rhodes’ marketability, tremendous in-ring skills, dependability, and ability to draw money and sell merchandise. He described Rhodes as a valuable asset to any roster and locker room. Anderson’s endorsement of Rhodes highlighted his belief in Rhodes’ potential and the impact he could have on the wrestling industry.
The podcast also touched upon Paul Heyman’s induction into the WWE Hall of Fame. Anderson expressed his belief that Heyman deserved the honor due to his extensive body of work in the industry. Anderson emphasized that a wrestler’s contribution to the business should be a significant factor in their Hall of Fame induction, not just their number of main events or big matches. With Heyman’s 25-year career in the industry, Anderson felt that denying him the induction would be unjust.
Additionally, Anderson expressed his happiness for Barry Windham and Mike Rotunda’s induction into the Hall of Fame. He praised Windham’s talent and stated that any accolade given to him would not be enough. Anderson also highlighted Rotunda’s underrated skills as a performer and producer. He mentioned that Rotunda’s recent loss of Bray Wyatt made it even more meaningful for him to have something to focus on in his career.
The podcast episode concluded with a link to a YouTube video featuring Anderson’s live discussion of a wrestling event from December 1994.
Overall, Anderson’s podcast episode provided insights into Cody Rhodes’ career choices, the deserving Hall of Fame inductions of Paul Heyman, Barry Windham, and Mike Rotunda, and showcased Anderson’s admiration for their contributions to the wrestling industry.