Cody Rhodes addresses Roman Reigns’ promo about “running away” from WWE

During an interview with WrestleJoy.com, Cody Rhodes reflected on his promo segment with Roman Reigns from the March 20th 2023 edition of WWE RAW. Cody said the following in regards to Reigns’ remarks about Cody “running away” from WWE…

“I’ve been on trial my whole career. Everything has been on trial, from the time you’re judged so early because you’re a multi-generational and the perks that come with that. From the positions you’re put in, is that too much for a person? Or when you’re sitting there as Stardust, so low, does a person deserve that? Everything is always on trial, and the greatest thing about it is that the verdict is not decided by anyone other than fans. That is why social media is fun, but also can be a little intimidating. There are fans that will try to tell you things as if they are facts. They’ll use numbers, that’s a huge thing I was a part of that I regret so bad. Talking about demographics and things like that. The main thing we do, the lifeblood of it is the consumer, and the feeling. You can’t put a number on a feeling. I love that Roman brought it up in terms of running. I have to own it. I did meet adversity and I did not say, you know what, I’m gonna put my feet in the sand and stay. I didn’t put my flag here. I’m not gonna get back to the campus. I’m gonna find a different campus. I hate the expression ‘trust the process’ with all my life. Why not create the process? Why do I have to trust the process? I’d rather create the process. Roman isn’t wrong that the business stung me, and I had to move away from where I got stung. I couldn’t just continue to get stung.”

“With all of that said, it’s ironic coming from Roman, who is a lifelong investment by WWE. That investment is absolutely paying off. But it just started paying off. I’ve talked about him with the greatest of reverence and respect, because I know how absolutely dang special he is in our world. But if you’re gonna get low brow with his comments like that, just remember that if me meeting adversity and changing my ways, going out and betting on myself, is that less valuable than meeting adversity and just pretending it doesn’t exist? Either way, it really shouldn’t matter because you’re absolutely, as champion proving to everyone that you are everything you say you are as champion. I feel I’m everything I say I am as the American Nightmare. So it is up to the fans to decide the verdict on these trials, on my story, and the journey. I’ve had things I’ve done that weren’t great, but I do all of them as well as the things I’ve done that were absolutely special and helped create magic.”