Driven by noted creative frustrations, Cody Rhodes departed WWE in 2016 after enduring the infamous Stardust gimmick. It starkly contrasted anything he had done with WWE, pushing him away from the company where he began his pro wrestling career.
Now that seven years have passed, Rhodes reflected on what he could have done differently with Stardust in an interview on the Dale Jr. Download podcast. He said that, while there are people to hold accountable, he should be one of them for why the gimmick did not work (h/t Wrestling Inc for transcription).
There are plenty of people to blame when it comes to Stardust. But as I have gotten older, the more and more of the blame I put on myself. Because it’s one thing to stand up for yourself two years in — when it’s bottled up and ready to blow versus had I fought this battle six months in. Had I come to work every week and said, ‘This doesn’t work for me,’ while [also] being a professional and being part of the process …
While Rhodes took some blame, he did not hide the startling mask WWE pitched him to wear as Stardust, bluntly describing it and feeling relieved that it never appeared on WWE programming.
“There was an actual mask that was pitched,” he revealed. “This was an area where I spoke up. I put it on and [it] looked like a classic condom blowing up. It looked so bad.” Upon rejecting the idea of sporting a mask, Rhodes shaved his head to try and resemble his brother, Dustin Rhodes. “I’m glad the mask never saw the light of day,” he concluded.
Rhodes’ decision not to wear the mask proved to be a win for everyone. The gimmick would have been worse with the facial wear, but thankfully, Rhodes’ career is in a much better place now and he doesn’t need a corny gimmick to get himself over.