Cody Rhodes Explains Why Fans Misunderstand No-Selling In Wrestling

TLDR

Cody Rhodes explained that fans often misunderstand no-selling in wrestling, clarifying that the old-school babyface comeback wasn't about pretending a move didn't hurt, but rather showing toughness by refusing to let the opponent see the pain. Speaking on "What Do You Wanna Talk About?", Rhodes said this technique was common among territory-era babyfaces in the 80s, including Chief Jay Strongbow and Dusty Rhodes, before Hulk Hogan popularized it as the "Hulk-Up." He also noted that Japanese wrestling psychology follows a similar approach, where wrestlers sell the idea that they're trying to hide their pain rather than actually ignoring it.