After promising a show filled to the brim with shocks, twists, and surprises, the one big surprise “debut” – re-debut? – of SummerSlam didn't come from a free agent-signee from Japan, CMLL, or even AEW, but instead a certified WWE Hall of Famer who hasn't worked a match since 2000: the “Enforcer” Arn Anderson.
Now, for fans who have been following Rhodes' career for a while now, this pairing shouldn't come as too much of a surprise, as Double-A was Rhodes' cornerman in AEW for much of his run and even garnered massive headlines for his no-nonsense, glock-wielding brand of street justice.
But how did this pairing come together? Well Anderson explained just that on his ARN podcast, with the Four Horsemen member absolutely gushing about his trip to the WWE Universe.
“Coincidence-wise, I was going to be in Cleveland anyway, and I was doing a signing for WrestleCon. Cody, bless his heart. I will get a random text from him months after I haven't talked to him, and it'll be at three in the morning, and it's almost like it's in code. It was like, ‘We had a conversation, Triple H and myself. Wonder what we could do to maybe have you come to one of the shows.' According to his text, Triple H said that ‘Maybe some of the young guys and ladies have met [Arn], so maybe it would be a nice treat,” Anderson explained via Fightful.
“It wasn't like I was going to be the only legend there. He said, ‘What do you think?' I said, ‘I'd always be interested in saying hello to you and some type of cameo,' so he put me in touch with Benjamin Brown. He's the one that takes care of some of the lost treasures on that show. Got a hold of me, ‘Yes, would love to have you. Fly you in. Bring a guest.'”
Interesting stuff, right? Well wait, it gets even better, as let's just say Anderson had plenty more to say about his big moment in Cleveland.
Arn Anderson was proud to reunite with Cody Rhodes in WWE
Recalling his experience further, Anderson revealed that he wasn't entirely sure how things would go down in his appearance or if fans would know about his inclusion in the event. Still, based on the reaction from the crowd, it's clear fans not only remember Anderson, but appreciate him immensely and want nothing more than to see him reunited with Rhodes once more.
“I don't know what kind of press, I didn't see anything anywhere about me possibly coming, so I thought, ‘Maybe they are going to make this a surprise. That's kind of cool.' From the reaction of the crowd, I think it was a surprise,” Anderson noted. “I don't think anybody expected me to be there.' I must have had five or six people when I was doing the signing, ‘You going to do a run in on Cody's match?' No. No chance. It'd be a wobble in or a hobble in. Maybe a golf cart to run me down there. It ain't going to be a run in. It turned out that it was Pharoah having his final walk with Cody and it turned into something else entirely.”
Asked what it was like to be back in the trenches after spending years as a producer in WWE, Anderson celebrated his experience, as he felt very welcomed in his return to the promotion.
“I see all these familiar faces from five years ago when I worked there. Here they come, ‘I didn't know you were going to be here. So good to see you.' Hugging my neck, shaking my hand. People that were so happy to be on their job that particular day. What a warm feeling,” Anderson declared.
“The whole atmosphere, everywhere I walked backstage. I said, ‘Someone get a hold of Cody. Get him out here if you don't mind.' They said, ‘Just go to his bus.' I knocked on the door, went in, we talked. Had a nice talk, got to visit with him. Saw Randy Orton right away, got to visit with him. Saw the Undertaker pulling in, got to visit with him. It was a heartwarming event, for me personally. I'm glad it was received the way it was by everybody. Just thankful for the opportunity to say hello to everybody.”
While Anderson and Rhodes haven't been on television together since, largely because of Rhodes' own limited action as the spotlight has largely been placed on “Battle of the Tribal Chiefs,” new and OTC, who knows, maybe the two sides could reunite in the not-too-distance future at a Premium Live Event like Bash in Berlin or (more likely) Bad Blood in Atlanta, Georgia.
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