’The American Nightmare' Cody Rhodes returns as one of the judges for the second season of The Go Big Show premiering on TBS on January 6th. The AEW superstar is joined this season by a new judge, T-Pain, who is involved in more acts than any judge on the show according to Cody.
Cody also chats about his own Go-Big Show moment in AEW and how the acts on this season make it harder to choose a winner.
Screen Rant: You are one of my favorite wrestlers. And you had a quote the first season for the Go-Big Show, and you said something along the lines of "Staying away from fire." That's a lot of fire and you just recently had a street fight against Andrade. I got to ask, was that your Go-Big Show moment in AEW?
Cody Rhodes: I was inspired by Go-Big Show seasons one and seasons two. But the experts on Go-Big Show season 2, there is a lot of fire. Spoiler, they’re far better at handling it than I was. As most people have seen the Instagram photos of what my back looked like the few weeks following it. It was my Go-Big Show moment, but I don't know if I would've scored that highly. It was a lot of fun, though.
It was a hell of a match, hell of a match, amazing match. By the way, congratulations on the TNT Championship. Amazing. When that was a hell of a match too. Look, T-Pain joins you this season on the Go-Big Show. What does he add to the show?
Cody Rhodes: I love the fact that T-Pain jumped in. He had knowledge of season 1, but when he came to how he was going to be on the show, he is involved with more acts this season than any of the other judges.
I had no preconceived notions of what he might be like other than the fact that he is an extremely successful individual. I didn't think he would be lending himself to all these really dangerous acts, and it is an incredibly risky season. He went in there with a ton of bravado and just an absolute treat to have upon the judge's panel.
Just every one of them, that unit. I always say, I'm not qualified to judge any of these acts, but I do think as a unit, we are qualified because we all have these disciplines, and we're all in these industries where it's about making people feel something. And ultimately, that's what I score on.
Absolutely. And that chemistry that you guys all have is just off the charts. And Rosario Dawson, she appeared in AEW Dynamite last year, I guess, now it's 2021. Any chance we could see T-Pain pop up?
Cody Rhodes: So T was part of that street fight. He handed me a chair.
He did?
Cody Rhodes: He did, yes. So T now, the street fight, Rosario has appeared jumping on Malakai Black's back. Rosario's been there. At this point, T is always welcomed back because he handed me a weapon in the middle of the Atlanta Street Fight.
I think I've got to get Bert, and I've got to get Jennifer out there at some point because I always like showing people and showcasing what wrestling really is today in 2022. And you get a lot of surprise folks.
Rosario knew exactly what she was getting into. She's a wrestler herself at this point, the way I look at it. But yeah, Jennifer and Bert, they've got to make a visit as well.
Last season, when you picked the winner, it made you feel big for the Go-Big Show. What are you guys looking for this season on the Go-Big Show for the winner?
Cody Rhodes: The show is way easier when people mess up.
It's way easier when they say, "Hey, I'm going to do this. I'm going to do this." And then they don't execute. When we get into the semi-finals and then the finals, I mean, my gosh, this is a level of mastery. That is beautiful to see, but that's a big risk that people take, is when it comes to telling us everything, you're going to do versus just putting it out on the plate, and us getting a taste of it. That's the hardest thing about the show.
I often complain, I don't know if any of it makes the air, but I often complain about "Man, I just wish somebody would just strike out right now in front of me because it makes it hard. And it gives you a sense of responsibility for the fact that $100,000 is going to be handed to somebody at the end of this. We've got to make sure we give it to the right person."
In season 1, you guys pretty much saw everything under the sun. When you're sitting there and ready for season 2, what are you looking for as Cody Rhodes? What are you looking for in season 2?
Cody Rhodes: I think, what I like about season 2 is people turning certain acts on the side of their head in terms of its one thing to put to Rubik's cube together in the fastest time known to man; it's another thing too, perhaps, do that while you're set on fire. So, it's giving us a little shake, giving us a little twist.
That's something that only can happen in Go-Big Show season 2 now that the first season's out of the way and learning curves happen, and we've cast this wider net for more acts, and to have people who are fans of season 1 competing on season 2. I like that little bit of a shake-up to what, perhaps, was a traditional act.
The Go Big Show season 2 premieres January 6 on TBS.