Cody Rhodes believes WWE’s developmental system has come a long way since he first broke in.
Speaking on Matt and Shane’s Secret Podcast ahead of WrestleMania 42, Rhodes reflected on the differences between the training environment he experienced coming up through Ohio Valley Wrestling in 2006 and what NXT offers today at the WWE Performance Center.
“Today, they’ve got it all mapped out really well. They’ve got exactly what you mentioned. They’ve got agility. They’ve got multiple rings, including one that has an extra layer of pad and bounce if you’re going to try big high spots. They’ve got Shawn Michaels. Again, we’re talking about probably the greatest in the ring ever. So that’s your head coach. How could you not be good?” Rhodes said.
Rhodes also noted that the modern system is specifically designed to accommodate athletes coming from other sports backgrounds.
“The system they have down there with the Performance Center now is designed for the NIL athlete because they’re used to it. ‘I came from baseball, I came from football, I came from gymnastics.’ So they need all that. They need a room that’s a recovery suite. They need a full-blown weight room, which they have. They need all that,” Rhodes said.
While Rhodes appreciates the current setup, he acknowledged a fondness for the more self-directed approach he came up through.
“When I came up, you were just doing it yourself, which I liked because you found like-minded people. I remember my whole class of coming up from OVW, but the system now, it’s a lot healthier. A lot healthier to get everybody ready,” Rhodes said.
Rhodes also noted that WWE’s wellness policy, introduced in 2007, has contributed to a broader shift in focus toward overall athleticism rather than just physical size.
Rhodes defends the Undisputed WWE Championship against Randy Orton in the night one main event of WrestleMania 42 on April 18 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit Matt and Shane’s Secret Podcast with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
