Cody and Brandi Rhodes leaving AEW
 

Cody and Brandi are officially gone.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Thank you Cody and Brandi Rhodes <a href="https://t.co/tkDvVpnrrE">pic.twitter.com/tkDvVpnrrE</a></p>&mdash; All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) <a href="https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1493602087481061377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

What in the actual fuck? I mean WHAT!? Am I being worked? Why is this happening? I truly am a bit dumbfounded. Cody.... fucking... made AEW why, is he leaving it? I just don't ... WHAT!?

Sean Ross Sapp already reporting that the "expectation" within the business is he's going to WWE.

SRS basically doesn't ever miss so yeah, this shit seems real.

OH my GOD! This is really shocking to me. I mean, I know Cody has gone through some bad times recently creatively but his early AEW work was one of my favorite characters ever. The program with Jericho was so goddamn good and he was one of the best babyfaces ever for that time. But wow... I mean headed back to WWE I NEVER thought this would happen. I am SHOCKED.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I can confirm that Cody's camp has been in contact with WWE officials.</p>&mdash; Andrew Zarian (@AndrewZarian) <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewZarian/status/1493604897513783307?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Make Cody into the invader from the south, have him attack Roman at Chamber and do Cody x Roman in the main event of Mania. That’s what I’d do.</p>&mdash; Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) <a href="https://twitter.com/arielhelwani/status/1493605099834417152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/iyKVg1nVpm">pic.twitter.com/iyKVg1nVpm</a></p>&mdash; AEW COMMUNITY OUTREACH (@CodyRhodes) <a href="https://twitter.com/CodyRhodes/status/1493601980215930880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

This all kinda plays with Cody saying not that long ago he had only a couple years left in the business, if that.

He's probably still bitter of how things ended in WWE and wanted to take a shot at redemption before he calls it a career.

If he has some kind of deal with WWE where he's gonna be a "main guy" then I guess I get it. But really... I don't get it. I don't get it all.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Looking forward to Cody cutting a shoot promo in WWE on the opposition like <a href="https://twitter.com/RealJeffJarrett?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RealJeffJarrett</a> did nearly a quarter of a century ago... <a href="https://t.co/uuxfnmyBTI">pic.twitter.com/uuxfnmyBTI</a></p>&mdash; On This Day in WWE (@OTD_in_WWE) <a href="https://twitter.com/OTD_in_WWE/status/1493607630283153411?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Feel like I'd just retire and spend my days climbing on top of Brandi tbh

Wow...

Damn, really liked Cody... Even though I thought some of his promos were sometimes annoying, was always one of the most interesting guys and had some of the best matches in the company and really liked pretty much all of his programs except for the Ogogo one

its a shame. good talent. on the plus side this gives me hope theyll can the bucks at some point.

Damn WWE done poached the EVP/founder of AEW. After all the shit WWE did to him/put him through. That doesn't bode well.

One by one they'll come crawling back


R.I.P

Finally Go Big Show can replace Cody with Paul Wight.

Steve Austin coming back for a WrestleMania match and Cody/Brandi gone from AEW.

A wild 24 hours in wrestling news! Wish Cody the best and have a feeling we'll see him at WM.

This means Dan Lambert won his feud with Brandi Rhodes lol

My guess is Cody would get Dusty's intellectual property back in a WWE deal.

Paige VanZant is automatically the biggest babyface on the women’s roster if she comes out this Wednesday and brags about running Brandi out of AEW.

I have this strange feeling that we get Seth vs Cody at WM if he is going back to the exfed. Basically gonna stick Cody in Shanes spot.

Ah... smart.

You know a really ex-WWE guy that WWE could bring back and really leave AEW fans in shambles?

Jake Hager. Come on Vince! Do it for Real America!

This. He was grossly misused and cast aside when he was there. And even if he’s supposed to be the main guy, how much faith can you put in WWE to actually do that competently and effectively with him getting lost in the shuffle.

I hope it’s for a boat load of cash though. Best of luck to him. I enjoyed most of his run in AEW and thought there was more there. But he did his part putting both Darby and Sammy over for titles.

an josh alexander leaves impact the same time let them trade places for awhile.

This is very interesting. I’m curious to see if he actually goes back to WWE.

It's wild that Cody Rhodes might show up on Raw before Veer.

Ahahaha!

Not surprising when you really look at how things have gone. Cody was made to look like a goof from the start. Remember when he smugly said that he doubts we’ll see bad officiating in AEW again after the first Dynamite? The guy did want to deliver something more substantial. That’s gone off the rails, but the dream can still be there.

Tony Khan has also brought in a bunch of talent that Cody is never going to be more important than — CM Punk and Bryan Danielson chiefly. They’re probably getting paid more than Cody, but are they actually bigger deals in how they’ve been used? It isn’t insane for Cody to want that sort of money himself. But then TK has to think about what he is going to offer The Bucks and Omega.

I had a strong feeling he was going to leave. Honestly, him re-signing with the WWE would surprise me a little. I would have thought he’d play free agent for a bit. Starting up your own promotion is easier said than done, but I could see the desire being there for Cody. A Cody Rhodes/Jeff Jarrett/Eric Bischoff venture would make sense, conceptually, if not logistically.

I could definitely see Cody making an appearance in NXT to present the winners of the Dusty Classic with trophies or whatever. Popping Dustin into the Hall of Fame. That sort of thing. Him going full-time would surprise me more than him leaving AEW. It makes sense he’s talking to them though.

I do wonder what this means for Dustin Rhodes and “Cody guys” in AEW.

So good BAHAHAHA

So how long before Tony Khan throws a Twitter tantrum over something Cody and Brandi said

First interview Cody does. I would have had said second, because the first is probably going to be “AEW is great, I have nothing bad to say, everyone is awesome…” but I’m going bold because it’s Tony Khan — he’ll find something.

Lol you KNOW it's gonna happen

I suspect Jericho will be back to WWE in early 2023 when his deal is up, though I think it'd be more of a Legends deal with a Rumble appearance/maybe a Mania program do-over with KO before calling it a career and go to the HOF shortly after.

The next departure that really wouldn’t surprise me is Jon Moxley.

And as I’ve said: If TK has really bungled the New Japan deal, keeping Bryan Danielson may be trickier than originally thought. I would not be shocked if he is gone before his 3 year deal is up, because TK isn’t going to have the balls to act like Vince and hold people if they want out.

This shit is way more interesting than the actual product.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">No I am not leaving. I like it here in <a href="https://twitter.com/AEW?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AEW</a></p>&mdash; Dustin Rhodes (@dustinrhodes) <a href="https://twitter.com/dustinrhodes/status/1493605295733592075?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

I don’t expect all this to happen, but it would be absolutely hilarious if by the end of 2022 if:

* Cody has left because of creative differences and a disagreement as to what his status should be.

* Mox leaves because he wants to do whatever the fuck he wants, hang out with W. Morrisey in Impact and work New Japan.

* Bryan Danielson has left because Anthem has forced the door shut on any major AEW/New Japan involvement.

* CM Punk has faded out because this shit hurts too much and he’s fired his best creative shots for no ratings or PPV gain.

* Chris Jericho has left for his health and to save his legacy.

* Omega leaves because he’s a prima-donna who is hurt Will Ospreay is Meltzer’s new favorite, and if he can’t be the best, why bother?

He says that.

Why do you keep saying that AEW has "bungled the New Japan deal"... they have on NJPW guys constantly. Just had Jay White on last week...

Obviously it is AEW's fault that they can't send talent over to work in Japan due to the country still having their borders largely closed off to foreigners.

"AEW is responsible for COVID." - Noid, probably

Ramblings of a mad man.

He's just salty that AEW didn't pan out exactly the way he wanted. It doesn't align with his outdated vision of professional wrestling so it is trash.

It'd be interesting if Cody debuts on WWE television and immediately goes for a Pedigree.

Wow. Shocking. I love it. This kind of stuff makes this so interesting.

i am still thinking work for his tv shows.

How do they let him leave when they have a partnership with Go Big Show, when his show has been renewed for another season, and is streaming on HBO Max? Literally the one guy in their whole dumb company making them any outside money...

This has to be a work, Tony Khan cannot be that stupid.

I think you are over playing the importance of Rhodes to the Top and The Go Big Show. Rhodes to the Top while very important to AEW fans like you, is not something that anyone has any interest in. And The Go Big Show can exist with any number of celebrity hosts not to mention an easy AEW replacement could be Paul Wight.

Also I was listening to Sean Ross Sapp and he said that he's only read one report that mentions Rhodes to the Top was getting a season 2, that it wasn't officially announced by Turner Media and probably isn't happening.

Also these streaming networks are trying to compile content good or bad, so much terrible content uploaded to Paramount, Peacock and HBO Max. Rhodes to the Top is not going to make anyone any money it's just junk in the trunk.

Cody Rhodes was never the main guy in AEW and didn't have what it takes to cut it after he was "gifted" a main event program with Jericho that he had "no right to be in" because he's just a mid-card panty-waste with a lisp and shit neck tattoo and a wife that is the dead worst in the world at being a pro wrestling character.

Cody turned his back on those that made him and has taken anything good his Daddy ever taught him and stamped it on the ground. Cody and Brandi are traitors and if they so much as dare cross the line into the WWE locker room I hope they get buried worse than Mike and Maria Kanellis.

I said IF they’ve bungled the New Japan deal.

Anthem owns AXS, which is the channel that now airs New Japan. Again. AXS also owns Impact Wrestling, who is a competitor of AEW. Jay White appearing on Dynamite, probably for a large sum of money, doesn’t really stir me. We haven’t seen anyone of any real note in AEW yet. People keep blaming Covid, but isolation 10 days either way doesn’t make it impossible. We’re 2 years into borders being closed now and the world’s economies doing their best to factor in this new world. AEW has gotten, who? Minoru Suzuki and KENTA? Is Suzuki even signed to an exclusive New Japan deal?

We’ll see what happens. I’m just not going to be shocked if you never see Tanahashi, Okada or Ibushi in AEW, or if New Japan starts using gaijin from places other than AEW, because it makes logical sense to help out other promotions as opposed to the one that popped up and made it harder for anyone else to have gain or retain any traction.

I’m willing to bet Cody feels his other properties are pretty secure, and he doesn’t need AEW to make them work or keep the spot. Going to WWE is probably bigger promotion for both of them than working in AEW anyway. Leaving AEW in general is a good story for his show.

TK no doubt wanted to keep Cody, but I think money and ego (justifiable or not) has come into the equation and TK just can’t go there.

That Cody vs Sammy ladder match was a great send-off for Cody and he left AEW by making Sammy look stellar.

LOL this might be the first time ive ever been hit with the "you just think everything AEW does is good because you like AEW". :rofl::rofl::rofl:

No, I am saying that Tony Khan trying to low ball offer the ONE guy that that brings more to the table than tshirt sales just further shows what an idiot he is.

Vince - “Cody so glad to have you back on a two year deal, creative has come up with a new plan for you. We are going to see the return of Stardust at Wrestlemania or maybe SummerSlam. Just need you to film 3 months worth of vignettes and then have you debut on NXT 2.0”

The crows are going to come back home to roost.

TK is paying talent so much money that even if they’re happy, they’re likely to just band together and cut him out in the future anyway. It also comes with guys looking at other people’s paychecks and trying to work out who is really worth that. This is what happens when you pay to play.

If Cody works WrestleMania, I don’t know how the program isn’t him vs. The Miz.

Cody vs Seth Rollins would be a fun WM program

In-ring, sure. I can think of better uses for Seth though. I can’t see WWE passing up on the reality TV star program and getting the wives involved.

I'm not even kidding when I say the outcome I'd actually want from this is Cody somehow getting an ownership stake in a mid-sized promotion like the NWA or ROH and just make that his place to keep doing Cody things and occasionally turn up in other promotions when there's a good reason for it.

As insufferable as I have found Cody at times, the thought of going back to WWE to end up being a Dolph Ziggler type after this initial return push feels a little depressing to me.

It is an interesting day to say the least. Pretty shocked that Cody left, but like others have said, Tony Khan is content with bringing in people like Bryan Danielson and Punk rather than taking care of some of the people who have been there since the beginning.

I always just believed that Cody always claiming he would never challenge for the world title would actually happen one day and that would be the way that he would fully turn heel when he storyline just said "Fuck you guys, I am EVP, I'm getting a title shot right now". Now there will never be a payoff for that.

Didn’t see that one coming tbh. I have enjoyed Cody’s work so it’s a shame I won’t see it anymore. I hope he’s going to something decent in WWE not a mod card reign, he’s past that now.

On an increasingly stacked roster with the “I won’t be world champion” gimmick I did wonder where he fit in longterm more and more. I don’t think anyone expected to look up this soon after inception and have the level of main eventers and attractions they have at AEW.

Hoping for good things for Cody… hoping he’s the guy to unseat Roman frankly.

Cody probably had the best of intentions in terms of helping to build a company but with AEW getting all of the free agents from WWE, maybe he just doesn't want to be a part of that anymore. Everything in AEW is built around the Young Bucks/Omega/The Elite. It's almost like a modern day storyline similar to the NWO and how they controlled shit (except it doesn't have Hogan/Nash/Hall/Bischoff to run it into the ground)

As much as reality TV is hammed up for drama, that period between August and September really might've had an impact on him.

He lost to Malakai on August 4th and got written off. Punk returned a few days later making it the biggest story in wrestling. Bryan and Cole were in a month later. Doubtless, Cody knew Punk and Bryan were coming in and probably knew Cole would be too once he wrapped up his NXT angles, but I don't think he anticipated getting the shit booed out of him by the largest audience in AEW history when he returned.

AEW always would've had a spot for Cody, but the crowd was likely to keep rejecting him. Kinda sad to think that last fall Cody was possibly wrestling with very real thoughts that the company he helped found didn't really need him anymore.

Could see Cody just being happy to wrassle again and not be a "suit" or whatever. Give it a couple years in WWE and call it a day.

Fightful says he wanted a "big money deal" and AEW apparently wasn't willing/able to give it. I can imagine WWE is offering him a lot because signing away one of AEW's top stars and an "EVP" is very valuable...

Wow, AEW experiencing money troubles? Shad Khan wouldn't give Tony a raise for his allowance.

"But, but ,but, daddy! "

Tony comes from extreme wealth, but AEW the company still has a budget, and while they can pull from the Khan family fortune in an emergency, they set up AEW to be a self-sufficient company.

WWE has vastly more money to throw at Cody without any worry about it impacting their bottom line. If WWE puts out a contract that would require Tony to borrow more money from his dad, AEW is unlikely to match that. At least at this point anyways. Pre- Punk and Bryan maybe they would have but those two are inarguably bigger stars than Cody and I doubt Cole, Lee, or anyone else they've added since are on anything close to that kind of wage.

If Cody wanted a mega-deal, WWE are the only choice. If he's content to go back there to take a paycheck from them, more power to him. Get your money and have sex on a pile of money with the missus.

I expect Jericho and Moxley to return to WWE too in the future and AEW will be just fine.

Why does everybody just assume Cody would be a midcarder in WWE. He basically did what McIntyre did before coming back to WWE but on an even larger level. I would legit bring him in and build towards him vs the WWE Champ at Mania, whether that be Lashley or Rollins. Either of those matches would be money.

I agree with you xrod

You don’t know how? Try doing + Mayrse and + Brandi. Very WWE thing to do. I wouldn’t be oppose to it either.

That was the first match I thought of as well. Or Edge and Beth

Maryse and Brandi on the screen at the same time would make me very happy in the pantular region.

Where's Bobo when you need him

That argument doesn't work when Tony Khan brags about how "he" has more money than WWE:

https://www.wrestlinginc.com/news/20...ve-more-money/

He is such a mark he actually believes his own bullshit. This turd has no money himself, he is basically 10 years old saying "my dad can beat your dad".

I hope you’re not one of those people who cries every time WWE releases people for budgetary reasons.

I don’t see WWE offering him much more than they would any other upper mid-carder. They don’t want to blow their whole scheme out of whack. Tony didn’t want to do that either, but that’s the downside to offering Punk and Danielson huge deals and not having proper metrics to justify it. At this point, why SHOULDN’T Cody get as much as Punk? And once you do that, you’ve got to do the same for Omega and The Bucks.

This is why Vince McMahon canceled Bret Hart’s giant WWF contract in 1997. It wasn’t because he couldn’t pay Bret. It was because he couldn’t afford to pay Bret…and Shawn…and Taker…and Austin.

But Cody could have kept working there if he wanted, on a non-exclusive deal or something. He’s leaving because he wants to leave. That’s probably more ego and vision than anything. Money compounds it.

I love all the dumb speculation that's going on in this thread. You love to see it.

This is what I think is likely. Maybe some NXT appearances for the Dusty Classic and to do some documentary stuff about his dad, but mainly remaining a free agent and trying to boost his profile by helping out the smaller promotions.

It wouldn’t surprise me to see him as NWA Champ and/or ROH Champ within the next couple of months at all.

And I would not be surprised to see him go into business with Jeff Jarrett, Eric Bischoff and all those people rumored to start up a new promotion because the space is there. DDP’s name will probably be floating around somewhere, since he is close to Cody and Eric and seemed to have knowledge of this happening before it broke anywhere else.

Can't wait for Mr. Nerfect to be thoroughly disappointed by the new major promotion.

Can definitely see Cody working Mania as a one-off though. Gives him fodder for his reality show. It would be a decent pay-day, leave the door open for more, and the WWE gets to put The Miz over one of the AEW EVPs at Mania.

McIntyre came back looking like a million bucks

You know for a fact he debuts next week as Gunther McGillibuddy

BRB starting a "Cody and Shane McMahon buy ROH" game in EWR.

him and trips, if this is not a work an cody goes to wwe they need to give him a heel hogan push.

Before I clicked to open the thread, I thought to myself "Okay. Probably stepping away for a while to spend time as a family."

Then I open the thread and start skimming and see that he's likely WWE bound. "Oh. That's quite the plot twist"

Anyway. If it's money he wants or going back to mend fences or do something totally different like he ends up doing behind the scenes work, more power to him. I mean, his contract should contain language that he has creative control or he's going in as upper card/top guy status. I mean you never know when Vince will wake up and say "Stardust! THAT'S GOOD SHIT!" You can figure out the rest.

I assume the Nightmare Family is kaput. Vito posted earlier that Dustin is content with what he's doing. So, they'll probably cook up something new for him. Stupid Coach Arn can stick with his son. And that other guy, Lee..........something. Whatever with him.


I hope he knows what he's doing.

Not entirely sure what you’re saying here :lol:

He looked like a million bucks as in he looked good? Agreed.
He was booked to look like a billion bucks? Disagreed.

WWE have a very strong hand here. They can play the optics both ways.

It looks great for them to steal away an AEW Original, one of the EVPs no less, especially when so far it’s all been motion in the other direction. Or they go “Nah, we don’t want AEW castoffs even if it is an EVP”.

They can sign him, pay him whatever, get the novelty, and release him due to “budget cuts” in 3 months.

i mean his aesthetic improved 50 fold

This is only good for wrestling.

It’ll be interesting if Vince does his old strategy of making the other guy’s main eventer a jobber to the stars.

Then again, Cody was a mid carder in AEW.

cody went from jobber in the A promotion to midcard in the B promotion. honestly i wouldnt hire him. anyone he goes over looks bad and he doesnt have a demo following him around. youd get a 1 night 1 segement bump and then everything after is lost money. he's not a draw. he offers very little. i think his work is outstanding on a personal level but he doesnt connect on a mass level. this is just reality.

Disagree.

You just described AEW's entire business model lol

I can't believe that Cody did this to us. He's left us, why aren't we good enough for him anymore?

I never turned my back on you Cody. I was always there cheering your name. Why did you turn your back on me? You were my hero Cody! Cody I just have one question, the only thing that can come to mind... Why Cody, Why?