CODY RHODES

My mother stayed at home and raised me and my closest sister, and that meant that the American Dream and what he was doing on television as a character and behind the scenes as a producer was producing for us at home, so it is your life.

A lot of times when people are released or, unfortunately, get fired, they almost scramble for what it is they are going to do next. I think when you are no longer working under a big, corporate umbrella, you have to be your own brand, your own enterprise. That was my thought process before I left.

Nothing has been more exciting for me knowing that Ring of Honor is experiencing their best crowds, their best buy rates, and their best merchandise numbers while I'm the champion.

My dad had a habit of giving me the Abdullah the Butcher matches as well as the ones with tables and chairs - basically, the matches that went all over the building.

Some people, they're seeking elsewhere, looking elsewhere. I love WWE, but this is the type of wrestling that I grew up on. And every week, it's bigger and bigger. And these shows are just getting more and more special.

I'm in the best shape I can possibly be in, and I'm drug-free. I'm doing what I have wanted to do my entire life, so life is good.

As the leader of the Bullet Club, I can't slow down now. I am an example for everybody who thought just slapping the Bullet Club logo on you would define your career.

We've been very lucky with the 'Being the Elite' crew that everyone is very passionate about pro wrestling. There's no crooks in the group. Everyone's ideas are valued. And everyone who has something they pick and put on the map, they are fully going to commit to that.

I always tried to stand out as a ref. I wore a long-sleeve black Under Armour t-shirt so that you knew I was the cool ref as opposed to the old dude.

I had seen a lot of people who had been released from WWE, or asked for their release, and gone out into the wild unknown. There's more cases of it being unsuccessful than successful.

There are fans who just like their indie stars, and then there are your more casual fans that are more familiar with somebody like Kurt Angle, and their interest might be piqued.

I am the best in the world. It's 1: Cody; 2: Kenny; 3: Okada; 4: Charlotte; 5: Cena, with Ospreay creeping up on the list. It's my responsibility with the event to live up to that ranking. I am unbelievably good at this because of hard work and dedication.

I love good balance, so being a collector is a fun little thing while we travel this world. I mean, every night, it's something else. The other night, I head-banged a dude on my rental car and drove him through the curtain in my rental car. So some moments are not as good as others, but they are all fun, that's for sure.

'Final Countdown' would be a welcomed tune, even as a competitor.

After a world title run, you can't really call someone else your leader.

If you ask me what I like about Green Arrow, I can tell you that I read 'Longbow Hunters' years ago and that it's my favorite Green Arrow.

The Rhodes in WWE have a wonderful history. I'm glad they let me go. They are the house that built me, and you never know - I might be there again one day.

When you get a record attendance for What Culture Pro Wrestling - or just recently with Matt Cross, we did a record attendance for Next Gen in Tennessee. These are various brands. They're not rinky-dink. They're small - they're not WWE - but their soul is there.

The Bullet Club keeps New Japan Pro Wrestling in the black. Far in the black. Because of me. I'm a part-timer in that company, and I hold the Tokyo Dome merchandising record and Osaka's. Funkos. Bucks on a career run. This Bullet Club may never be topped.

I don't have the same knack for the business end that my old man did. Recruiting people has been tough. I don't envy anyone in that spot, especially some of the great non-WWE promoters like 'Evolves' Gabe Sapolsky, Beyond Wrestling's Drew Cordeiro, or Markus Mac at All Pro Wrestling.

A lot of the work I did with WWE had very strong comic book ties that were more than just a wink at the audience. There was a period of time when I had a clear protective face mask and a hood over my head that correlated with Doctor Doom.

I'm not capable of being in a group where I'm not the leader. I did it once earlier in my career with Legacy, and that was cool because I was young and green and a rookie in the industry, but now no more.

I live for this. I continue to study. To bump and learn.

I think one of my biggest attributes as a person and a businessman in wrestling is I'm very self-aware. There's a reason why I like all of the negative comments on social media. It's because I'm not delusional about my skillset, about my consistency and what I have to offer.

I believe in hard work, but I believe in vindication as well. You have a few nightmares, I imagine, before you reach your dream.