Cody Rhodes Ahead of WrestleMania 42

Days before WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas, WWE champion Cody Rhodes stopped by the Rich Eisen Show for a car wash interview covering Pat McAfee's theft of his title belt, a lifetime in wrestling, and the match against Randy Orton that capped his week.

Rhodes showed up empty-handed. He apologized on air. As WWE champion he should be traveling with the belt, but Pat McAfee had absconded with it. Rhodes called Pat holding the title while standing next to Randy Orton possibly the most offensive image in wrestling history, up there with the Gobbledy Gooker and David Arquette winning the world championship. Rich suggested he just go to Indianapolis and take it back. Rhodes, half-serious, asked about the perimeter at the Thunderdome.

Co-host TJ Jefferson volunteered backup. Rich offered a kendo stick and proved he knew how to hold it. A plan was tentatively formed.

On the wrestling side, TJ got Rhodes to walk through the setup with Randy Orton. The story is old as time. Young Jedi sprouts up and has to take out the old master. Rhodes has always wanted the big spot and believes if you're going to be in big moments, you have to be ready for big jobs. Pat being part of ESPN, which has WrestleMania for the first time ever, is a natural fit for the show even if it doesn't fit the 20-year wrestler mentor student arc.

He floated a heel turn. He's always said he didn't think he could do heel stuff. Now he's wondering if it's time for a new layer of paint. Let the audience expect him to snap.

On his first wrestling memory, Rhodes was at UTC Chattanooga around age eight when he heard the crowd erupt and ran out to see Brad Armstrong doing a basic arm drag. The Bible Belt reaction hooked him. He'd take his oversized backstage laminate, find an empty seat, and watch every show his father Dusty booked. At one show he fell down the steps and cut his eye open. Ricky Steamboat, in gear, patched him up. Then he had to explain the black eye to his mom.

The Big Boss Man flipped his nightstick at family barbecues. The Four Horsemen came to Thanksgiving dinners in Charlotte. At Dusty Rhodes' funeral, Cody looked out and saw Hulk Hogan with the shades and bandana, one of the giants, everyone basically in gimmick. Like a Big Fish scene where all the legends turned out to be real.

Rhodes closed with the lesson that reset his career. The biggest competitor in WWE is yourself. When he stopped looking at the roster and started trying to be the best version of himself, the American Nightmare came to be.

And he had one nice thing to say about Pat McAfee. He's a trained foot. Kicked Rhodes twice. That's another level.