Cody Rhodes responded to John Cena’s recent comments that the two “stunk up the joint” in the WrestleMania 41 main event. Rhodes believes that type of criticism is part of the role of a great mentor.
Rhodes recently appeared on ESPN’s Unsportsmanlike podcast and admitted that he got emotional when Cena praised him on the November 2 edition of Raw at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. That night, Cena announced Rhodes as the first entrant in the John Cena Classic. Cena called him WWE’s “QB1” and said Rhodes is better in that role than he was.
“It got me,” Rhodes said. “It got me. And then he said something else this week where he said we stunk the joint out in Vegas at WrestleMania 41. So my heart is pulled in. He always, you know what I mean? It’s like, okay, I felt great. He got me. I had tears in my eyes standing there in Brooklyn with him. And the next thing you know, okay, we stunk the joint out. All right.”
But Rhodes said he understands why Cena changed his tone.
“That’s what they do, though,” Rhodes said. “That’s what the great mentors do. You know, they never can give you the full [praise], and they shouldn’t. I’m mean to mine.”
Rhodes agreed with the hosts, who noted that a mentor has to know how to get the most out of someone.
“Yeah, exactly,” Rhodes said. “Get them to the finish line. That’s all you’re supposed to do.”
Cena told Yahoo Sports’ Uncrowned on Monday that he and Rhodes failed at WrestleMania 41 but got the story back on track at SummerSlam. Rhodes regained the Undisputed WWE Championship in a Street Fight at that show.
Rhodes will be part of the John Cena Classic. It will take place on December 14 on a special edition of Raw at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.