Cody Rhodes finds no Southern hospitality from AJ Styles ahead of WWE Backlash

After weeks and weeks of build-up, Cody Rhodes and AJ Styles addressed each other one final time before Backlash in Lyon, France. All of the in-fighting and drama has officially passed and in its place comes the actual meat and potatoes of the bout, the cherry on top that ultimately defines the feud, if you will.

But who would win out? Would Rhodes be able to keep things civil between two of only four men in wrestling history to hold the WWE Championship and the NWA Championship in the same career? Or would Styles make things personal, getting the best out of the “American Nightmare” by hitting him right in the feels? Well, considering how things started out, with Rhodes asking the crowd what they wanted to talk about in French, it seemed like it was the former, which seemed to really upset Styles to a pretty incredible degree.

“Hey Cody, I don’t care what they want to talk about; you’re in the ring with the “Phenomenal” AJ Styles,” AJ Styles declared. “It’s almost like you… I was gonna say, it’s almost like you aren’t focused right now, Cody; you’re focused on all this, and not what you should be focused on.”

“If you are looking for my full attention, my full focus, AJ you absolutely have it,” Rhodes responded. “From one Georgia boy to another, from one Dawgs fan to another, come on, my man! I broke into the industry in the state of Georgia, of course I grew up watching you, of course I grew up looking up.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, I don’t need that crap!” Styles demanded. “I don’t need that ‘Hey, I was your hero, I looked up to you,’ I don’t need that crap; I may be older than you, but I’m still in my prime.”

When Rhodes asked who was accusing Styles of being in anything but his prime, the former face of TNA shot back with a mouth full of malice, taking shot after shot at the “American Nightmare” for being born with a silver spoon in his mouth.

“You didn’t have to, we knew what you meant. You know what, here’s the problem with you, Cody: here’s the thing, we were never on the same path, you had your path laid out for you. Because everyone wanted the son of the ‘American Dream’ Dusty Rhodes, including WWE, and they welcomed you with open arms,” Styles explained. “You loved it here, Cody until things didn’t work out, ’til things got a little rough, and you couldn’t handle it if you know what I mean.  And you left, you packed your bags and you left. Your decision, one I never got to make because I was kept out of the WWE for years, and when I finally got here, I wasn’t welcomed with open arms like you were. I had to prove myself in WWE, I had to make my way to the top, and I did it all by myself… unlike you, who had Hall of Famers and legends watching your back at WrestleMania so you could ‘Finish your story.’ That’s great, a bunch of guys that I’ve beaten before. I beat them all the same way I’m going to beat you tomorrow night at Backlash. You see, I’m going to find my way to the top again, and I’m going to remind you and everyone else that I am ‘Phenomenal.'”

As the crowd sang “Il Est Vraiment Phénomenal” by Phenomenal Club, an occurrence that happened every time the word was stated, Rhdodes loaded up for a response, even if he had to effectively shout it to get his word out.