Cody Rhodes says the sharp-suited character he currently presents in WWE owes more to Ric Flair than to his own father, the late Dusty Rhodes. The American Nightmare made the comments on the latest edition of the Double Coverage podcast, where he broke down the influences behind his present-day gimmick.
According to Rhodes, the look and attitude he has built his current persona around is “a lot stolen” from Flair as he appeared in the 1980s, rather than drawn from the blue-collar, everyman identity most associated with Dusty Rhodes. It is a notable admission given that Cody has spent much of his career, including his rise back to WWE’s main event scene, framed around finishing his father’s story and chasing the title Dusty never won.
The distinction matters because Flair and Dusty Rhodes represented two very different approaches to the business during the same era. Flair was the polished, robe-and-limousine aristocrat of the sport, while Dusty Rhodes built his legend as the “Common Man” who connected with working-class audiences. Cody Rhodes pointing to Flair as the bigger influence on his current suited presentation suggests a deliberate shift in how he wants to be perceived in the ring and on camera, even as his promotional material and underlying story continue to invoke his father’s legacy.
Rhodes did not use the Double Coverage appearance to disavow his father’s influence on his career as a whole. Instead, he specifically isolated his present character, the version of himself fans see dressed in suits and carrying himself with a more regal bearing, as the part most shaped by watching Flair. A separate report from 411Mania, citing the same interview, noted that Rhodes also discussed his intention to continue wearing suits as part of his presentation going forward, tying that wardrobe choice directly back to the Flair influence he described.
Neither source detailed specific matches, angles or additional quotes beyond the core comparison Rhodes drew between the two legends. The comments offer a rare, direct look at how Rhodes himself views the construction of his current on-screen identity, distinguishing between the family story that has defined his WWE run and the stylistic template he says he actually pulled from Flair.
