In the legendary Rhodes family, who is the single best professional wrestler? According to the reigning Undisputed WWE Champion, Cody Rhodes, the answer is not himself, nor his iconic father, “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes. In a recent interview, Cody gave that honor to his older brother, the legendary and resilient Dustin Rhodes.
Cody Rhodes Praises His Brother Dustin’s In-Ring Prowess
Appearing on WFAN Radio, Cody Rhodes was asked to name the best wrestler in his famous family. While he playfully declared himself the “best overall,” he was definitive in his choice for the best pure in-ring performer.
“Of the three, the best wrestler is Chicken [Dustin], my brother,” Rhodes said (per Fightful). “I say wrestler in terms of his in-ring is as sharp, even at 50-something, as anybody.”
His praise for his 56-year-old brother is a testament to Dustin’s incredible longevity and the high regard in which he is held by his peers.
A Legacy of Excellence
The Rhodes family is one of the most iconic and influential families in the history of professional wrestling. The patriarch, the late, great Dusty Rhodes, was a three-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion and one of the most creative and charismatic performers of all time. His legacy as a booker and a mentor to the next generation is just as significant as his in-ring career.
Dustin Rhodes has also carved out a Hall of Fame-worthy career for himself over the past three-plus decades. He is most famous for his groundbreaking and controversial run as the bizarre Goldust character in WWE, a persona that was years ahead of its time. However, he has also had incredible success under his own name, winning numerous championships in WWE, WCW, and, most recently, AEW, where he had a critically acclaimed run that included a brief but emotional reign as the TNT Champion. As Cody noted, even in his 50s, Dustin continues to perform at an incredibly high level. He is currently out of action after recently announcing that he will be undergoing double knee replacement surgery.
“Best Overall, I’m Going to Say Me”
While Cody gave the nod to his brother as the best pure “wrestler,” he did give himself the edge as the “best overall” performer, acknowledging that each of the three Rhodes men brought something different and unique to the table. It is hard to argue with his assessment. While his father was the master of the promo and his brother is a master of in-ring technique, Cody has managed to combine the best qualities of both. He possesses the everyman charisma of his father and the in-ring work rate of his brother, a combination that has made him the current Undisputed WWE Champion and the undisputed face of the modern era of WWE. His journey to “finish the story” by winning the title his father never could has been the central, driving narrative of the company for the past two years.
Cody Rhodes’s comments are a beautiful and respectful tribute to his family’s incredible legacy. While he may now be the biggest star of the three, his praise for his older brother is a humble acknowledgment of the incredible talent that runs through the veins of the Rhodes family.