Alot of people have asked me about my new look and name ... so considering I've gone through a drastic change, I thought I should explain myself ... <lj-cut>
It comes down to a few key things:
1) What I think wrestling is all about
2) Setting myself apart from the rest
Let's talk about (1) "What I think wrestling is all about":
Wrestling is about characters. What I mean by that is that I started watching wrestling at a young age; and what drew me to it was the drama, the outrageous characters with outrageous personalities, and the whole spectacle of the sport itself. I saw the bright yellow tights of Hulk Hogan who cut OUTLANDISH promos about his Hulkamaniacs and I was immediately hooked. I saw wrestlers wearing masks and was intrigued. I saw different wrestlers that all brought something different to the table. Of course, I didn't look at it in this context back then, but I can now.
Wrestling needs more gimmicks. Plain and simple. Every promotion whould have fat guys, skinny guys, bodybuilder guys, funny guys, cowboys, gay guys, dirty guys, clean cut guys, etc. etc. etc. All in all, this is what i think is missing from wrestling right now. AND, it is the main reason wrestling is in a slump right now. There are no characters anymore. I heard this quote from a fellow wrestler who heard it from a another fellow wrestler who is currently employed with the WWE (and a bonafide legend in this business):
"Wrestling needs more characters that are easily definable, straight-forward and exciting. We don't have that anymore. For example, if you ask anyone what a "Bushwacker" is, or what a "Road Warrior" is, or what a "Nature Boy" is, they can tell you. BUT, what's a Randy Orton? What's a Batista? What's an Orlando Jordan? Something is missing from the picture."
Truer words have never been spoken. Wrestling is boring right now. For many, many reasons, that I'm sure alot of us can think of, but one reason for sure is that there are no definable, fun, and exciting characters anymore.
That's one reason I decided to change my look and my gimmick. What's a Randy Orton? I don't know. OK. What's a Cody Steele? I don't know. I mean, I was cocky if I needed to be. Charasmatic and athletic. But look around ... thousands of wrestlers fit that description. Nothing about Cody Steele REALLY stands out at you.
That brings us to (2) "Setting myself apart from the rest":
As Cody Deaner, I walk down to the ring with a leather vest, dirty cut-off track pants with stains on them, beat up old boots, a filthy handlebar mustache, and an even filthier mullet, and you can easily define me. I'm a skid. A trailer park boy. White-trash. You don't need to know my name, my history, who I wrestled last night on RAW, who I'm feuding with, nothing. All you need to do is look at me and you can characterize and stereotype me.
Fans need that in wrestling. They need to be able to look at a wrestler and tell you what they are. It makes wrestling fun. It adds excitment, intrigue, and most importantly, it's easy for the average or even NON-wrestling fan to follow. Someone can turn on the TV, see Stone Cold drinking a beer and giving people stunners and easily see he is a badass. Someone can turn on the TV and see a blond-haired flamboyant tanned guy in a robe yelling "Woooooo!" and easily define them as a clean cut, rich, conceited, "Nature Boy." When wrestling has that, it makes money. It does well. And people follow it because it is easy to follow and fun. When you have guys in biker shorts with kick pads giving guys insiguri kicks to the head because the other guy with kickpads slept with his cousins' brother's wife who was married to the third guy with biker shorts and kickpads, it gets confusing, monotanous and lame.
Now some of you might read this and say that "Cody thinks he's got all the answers." I don't. But I DO know that as Cody Steele I have had moderate success, been on TV, wrestled for the most successful wrestling coming on this side of the world; however, I'm not making a living at it. Some say if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Well, Cody Steele wasn't necessarily broken, but he was sitting in idle. I can't sit back and rest on the fact that I got to wrestle Kurt Angle on TV and be satisfied or think that that is going to get me noticed or make me money. It won't. I have to set myself apart from the rest. Be different. Be fun. Be intriguing. Be entertaining. Be what I think wrestling should be about and try to make wrestling successful and fun like it was when I loved it as a kid.
Some might like it. Some might not. But I sure do. I'm having a riot with my new look and character. It has revitalized my passion for wrestling. Hopefully you'll be able to see that when you see me at a show.
Thanks for reading,
Cody
p.s. GIVER!