10 Things You Learn Re-Watching AEW Dynamite’s First Episode
9. Cody Rhodes Entrance Feels So Weird
Ring announcer Justin Roberts stopped short of yelling the Rhodes surname. Back then, Cody was just...Cody. He had the 'American Nightmare' nickname, sure, but it sounds off in retrospect to hear him come out as "American Nightmare Cody". Then, something else stood out as Rhodes marched to the ring for a match vs. Sammy Guevara.
The fans didn't do the, "WOOOOOOAH-OOOOOH" bit along with his music!
That might sound like a strange thing to pick out, but anyone tuning into WWE programming has grown so accustomed to waiting on it. Though true the atmosphere at that first Dynamite was top tier, there was just something missing from the total package with Cody. Physically, he even looks slightly smaller.
Look, this isn't some commentary on muscle in modern wrestling, but Rhodes definitely didn't have that larger-than-life aura in 2019. At least not compared to 2024. It's a good thing he was still bloody great between the ropes then, eh? The match vs. Guevara is worth seeing again if you can't remember much about it.