In case you’re behind on your NXT reports (conveniently all located here for your reading pleasure), all of their current tag teams are currently deep into the bracket of the NXT Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. The ongoing memorial tag tournament culminates October 7, with the semifinals and finals set for the next NXT TakeOver network special.
Cody Rhodes has actively been performing as Stardust since June 2014, but revealed recently that he’ll be hanging up his cosmic gear, if only for a short time. Rhodes gave a touching, candid interview with Pittsburgh’s Tribune-Review about dealing with the passing of his father, the late great Dusty Rhodes. It’s well worth a read, especially if you haven’t felt enough feelings today. In it, he also notes that he didn’t want to come back after his father’s passing as Cody, but will for a very special occasion:
[Coming back as Cody] would have been tacky — would have been tacky, and it wouldn’t have been genuine. Many years ago, I used to watch RAW with my dad, and we watched Nitro, and we watched the pay-per-views. Many years ago, there was a wrestler who passed away, and his name was used pretty regularly after that on programming. People were using it to try draw the adulation of fans. Everyone was saying, “Oh, well such and such who passed away would have loved this.” And (my father) told me, and this is something very few people know, “When I go don’t ever let anybody say that about me. I left my body of work on the table already and it doesn’t need to be expanded.” And I never forgot that. So there was never any question on who was coming back.
…the Dusty Rhodes tag tournament taking place in NXT is something he would really be proud of because of all the platforms it gives to talent, including independent talent that came in for a shot to win the Dusty Rhodes tag tournament. I will actually be there myself, (as) me — for the first time a while on WWE programming — Cody Rhodes and my brother will be there to present the trophy, which I’m looking forward to seeing. I had some help in preparing it for whomever is victorious in said tag team tournament. It’s a great way to honor him, and I think we continue to honor him. WWE just put it all out there. A lot of families lose a loved one and they don’t get the chance to see video packages and tributes. They have to do all that themselves and put it together. It was done for me, and I’m forever in their debt for that.
Alright, well, if you have any Kleenex left over after reading any of this, make sure you save it for October 7. And if not? Stock up. You’ll need it.
