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Cody Rhodes in NJPW?

4K views 36 replies 32 participants last post by  LaMelo 
#1 ·
How do you all think Cody would fare in New Japan? Part of his frustration with WWE seemed to be that he wanted to the opportunity to be the best. Having a successful run in New Japan would certainly add some prestige to his career.
 
#14 ·
Cody Rhodes is plenty talented enough to work anywhere he wants. And I'd argue his in-ring style was already one of the more indie-riffic among pure WWE talents so you wouldn't run into the problem you would with, say, Ziggler working outside of WWE.

Fucking CJ Parker has steady work in NJPW. If Juice Robinson can get mildly over doing... whatever it is Juice does while jobbing in filler tag team matches, then Cody can be a superstar over there.
 
#20 · (Edited)
Fucking CJ Parker has steady work in NJPW. If Juice Robinson can get mildly over doing... whatever it is Juice does while jobbing in filler tag team matches, then Cody can be a superstar over there.
That logic is not how it actually works, tho. Juice Robinson works as a glorified young boy; of course he can have a job and get booked he's in multi man tag matches and he gets pinned. Juice is probably never gonna be a player in NJPW. Let's apply this logic to Lance Hoyt. Hoyt has had a 100% better run in Japan than MVP did, but in America the notion of Hoyt>MVP would be scoffed at because Hoyt has been jobber journeyman and MVP was a featured act in both WWE & TNA. Hoyt was just a much better fit in Japan.

Like has been written: Cody would end up like Shelton/MVP and just be another guy. He just quit because he was another guy in WWE, so why would he fly across the world to be another guy in Japan?

There is no chance for him to be a player over there. He doesn't have remarkable ability or have flash in the ring that could get him over in Japan, he doesn't have the imposing size or weight that could get him over, and/or he doesn't have the threatening menace which could get him over.



For me, the only person who has been released/may be released from WWE who could be a player in Japan is Ryback. Cody would fare much better trying for TNA or LU.
 
#22 ·
Absolutely not, that guy needs a creative outlet, not just a place to get the shit beat out of him in strong style matches. LU is the best option for him. LU would also be a very easy transition for a guy who has never worked the indie circuit. Hell, he'll get food, a nice hotel room, and health benefits. LU treats its talent well, as they're not just viewed as wrestlers, but as "actors"

And you can wrestle any style in LU, so he doesn't have to over night master lucha libre or crazy non-WWE wrestling style spots.
 
#27 ·
Absolutely not, that guy needs a creative outlet, not just a place to get the shit beat out of him in strong style matches. LU is the best option for him. LU would also be a very easy transition for a guy who has never worked the indie circuit. Hell, he'll get food, a nice hotel room, and health benefits. LU treats its talent well, as they're not just viewed as wrestlers, but as "actors"

And you can wrestle any style in LU, so he doesn't have to over night master lucha libre or crazy non-WWE wrestling style spots.
That's a great point I hadn't thought of. Given Cody's acting background and stated preference for it, LU could be a much better fit for him than any other outfit.
 
#34 · (Edited)
LU is probably a better fit, but his family name alone would carry him to some significance in Japan. Name value and tradition matters quite a bit in NJPW. Look at all the second generation wrestlers that receive opportunities in Japan, despite being less talented than Cody.

The son of Dusty Rhodes would not be treated as a jobber by New Japan, unlike WWE where they seem to hate the Rhodes family.
 
#6 · (Edited)
I don't think he would fare well at all. His ceiling would be a tag guy if he could get the right partner; on his own he's not a fit and he would flame out like MVP did. He doesn't have the size, skill, or menace to be anybody of worth over there. Usually you need at least meet one of those prongs.

besides, NJPW needs to purge gaijin talent, not continue to add to the collection.
 
#7 ·
Wouldn't work, He'll want to be with Eden/Brandi all the time.
 
#10 ·
Bullet Club is done in New Japan pretty much. Omega/Bucks are known as The Elite.
 
#18 ·
Not entirely true actually. They still go by The Bullet Club, its just their trio thats named "The Elite". Much like how The Young Bucks are named...the Young Bucks and not "The Bullet Club". Not to mention Adam Cole just joined them as well and everyone else is still in the club, wears the gear and still has the same music etc. They just don't have the same presence they once had now that AJ and Finn has left. Kenny is doing a solid job but they lost AJ, Anderson and Gallows so soon after one another, of course they're going to be hurting and Kenny is doing his best. They still have legs, they just need a big heavyweight division win for Kenny.
 
#11 ·
He'd probably have the same route that Shelton did when he came in as "x" and beyond. He has his best opportunity in LU.
 
#12 ·
I figure Goldust and Eden will be leaving soon and I won't be shocked if they are a tag team for a bit wherever they go with her as their valet. It would be cool though if it Rhodes gets together with say Barrett, Sandow and Ryback and go "invade" somewhere. They all have ties together so I think the 4 of them as a group would work well.
 
#17 · (Edited)
He should be the new leader of The Bullet Club and Kenny Omega should fuck off and do something else in NJPW. Imagine Cody Rhodes fucking shit around with the Bucks in NJPW. Priceless. He has the charisma and the moves to pull it off. And the matches he would have subsequently with Kenny Omega would be fucking gold.
 
#23 ·
I'd love to see him either in LU or ROH if he has to remain in the US.
 
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