Cody Rhodes Didn't Want To Talk About Dusty Rhodes With Roman Reigns On WWE SmackDown

Ever since Cody Rhodes returned to WWE at last year's WrestleMania, heels have been invoking the name of his legendary father as a way to get under his skin. Dusty Rhodes has been brought up by Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns, both of whom worked closely with The American Dream while they were stationed in WWE's developmental system. 

Though it's an effective storytelling tool, Cody wasn't interested in using his father's name during his feud with the Head of the Table. 

Speaking about it with WrestleBinge, Rhodes said: 

"Can't avoid it. Those nights when I make it clear that I'm not going to talk about Dusty at all is the night that the other guy talks about Dusty. Just recently, with Roman, I wasn't really interested in the idea of 'we're going to converse on my father', but he has a very unique relationship, and had a very unique relationship with my father, so he's the one that took it up there. I'm always hip and keen to the amount of emotion that happens with me on television. Everything everyone has been watching since I came back at the Royal Rumble is real. 

"In an industry where there is a suspension of disbelief and areas of grey, this is the most real anything has ever been, trying to win a title that my family never got. The last opportunity we got for it was in the late 70s. It's as real as it gets. Coming back from a very real injury, trying to make it to the Royal Rumble, surviving GUNTHER until I was able to eliminate him, very real. I like that. I prefer that. I have the responsibility, but also to a degree, the burden of the character that I play is myself. That's what makes 'finish the story' sound even better. It's a real story".

Cody is scheduled to headline WrestleMania 39, where he will challenge Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. 

H/T Fightful