Cody Rhodes has heard plenty of criticism from wrestling fans over the years, but the American Nightmare believes there’s a major difference between what people say about WWE on social media and what actually happens when fans show up to the events.
During an appearance on the Double Coverage Podcast, Rhodes addressed the negativity that often dominates wrestling discussions online. While he’s not interested in telling fans how they should feel about WWE, he believes certain conversations have become disconnected from what the broader audience is experiencing.
The discussion began when the host admitted that wrestling was more enjoyable before he started paying attention to online critics and platforms like Reddit. Cody understood the frustration, but made it clear that he doesn’t believe fans should be dismissed simply because they have negative opinions.
“I went on a kick and I’m sure it’ll be misunderstood, but I went on this whole kick of trying to explain there are certain uh you never want to say anything. You never want to say, ‘Well, that’s not real.’ You never want to say, ‘Oh, that’s a small percentage.’ Cuz you I don’t want to dismiss a fan and their opinion.”
Rhodes explained that fans are entitled to dislike wrestlers, criticize their appearances, or express frustration with creative decisions. However, he believes conversations taking place on X can create a distorted impression of how audiences actually feel.
“If they hate you, they hate you. If they think you’re fat, they think you’re fat. If they think you suck, they what there’s no wrong way to be a fan. But what I can say is the conversations that take place on say X specific, they only take place there.”
And Cody didn’t stop there. He also took issue with how certain wrestling stories circulate online, particularly when fans begin treating unverified claims as established facts.
Rhodes brought up one story that especially frustrated him — a claim that he had personally suggested losing the WWE Championship. According to Cody, the idea that an active top wrestler would volunteer to give up the championship makes no sense.
“These stories are wildly made up and and then you’ll read 3 months later, oh, I remember there’s a story. Here’s how I here’s how I knew it had gotten crazy.”
He then explained the specific rumor that convinced him online wrestling discussions had gone too far.
“There was a story that I had pitched to lose uh the the title and now I saw somebody referencing this is like eight months ago like well don’t forget when he remember he he pitched it if you ever hear a story of a wrestler pitching to lose the title you should know right out of the gate they’re lying.”
Rhodes argued that championships are far too valuable for wrestlers to simply offer them up, especially when they’re still in the middle of their careers.
“No wrestler has ever said yeah I want to I need to lose the tie my gosh that’s the meal ticket you never you want somebody to take it from you don’t pitch it.”
For Cody, the biggest problem wasn’t simply that the claim existed. It was that people were repeating it months later as though it had actually happened. He encouraged fans to look beyond online discussions and experience WWE events for themselves, arguing that the atmosphere inside arenas tells a much different story.
“I saw that being talked about as if it was actual evidence. And I thought, ‘Oh man, I wish you knew.’ You know, I wish you guys knew that these conversations are just here. They’re just here. Come to a show. Come to a show and you will see. Oh, people are having a great time. They love all of it.”
Rhodes also admitted that he finds the constant negativity exhausting. He joked that he’d rather see something entertaining or lighthearted online than another argument about what wrestling fans should or shouldn’t enjoy.
“It’s just dark out there, huh? And I don’t know if if cinema I I’ve been, you know, now that I’m watching, you know, with a movie with some of what its its chats and discussions look like. Just it’s a little dark, you know, like don’t be afraid to put up a little puppy video every now and then.”
He continued by explaining that he doesn’t need people telling him how to react to entertainment, whether it’s professional wrestling or something else.
“I don’t need a deep opinion on what I should or shouldn’t do or if I liked something I shouldn’t have liked it. You know, that’s a I don’t know. I need more animal content.”
Despite his frustration, Cody acknowledged that wrestling occasionally produces moments that bring even the most divided fans together. He pointed to major WWE moments, including his WrestleMania 40 victory over Roman Reigns, as examples of how powerful wrestling can be when an entire audience connects with the same story.
For now, Rhodes doesn’t appear interested in changing anyone’s opinion about him. But he wants fans to understand that the loudest conversations on social media don’t necessarily represent everyone watching WWE.
This transcript was produced exclusively for Ringside News from the original recording. Republishing the transcription in full is prohibited. When using excerpts, provide prominent credit and a link to this article.
Do you agree with Cody Rhodes that wrestling discussions on X and Reddit have become too negative, or do you think online criticism accurately reflects how WWE fans feel? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.
