Cody Rhodes is currently one of the most popular and beloved stars in WWE. This is his second stint with the company, which seems to be fairing much better than his last run. During his time in AEW, The American Nightmare took a few shots at WWE, which he recently addressed on social media.
Cody Rhodes was not only an excellent in-ring performer, but also the Executive Vice President of AEW. He was there when the promotion first made it’s debut in 2019, but he shockingly quit the company in February last year, which took the whole wrestling industry by surprise. Not long after, he joined WWE and is now one of the biggest stars of the Stamford-based promotion.
Cody Rhodes talks about his pros during his AEW days
Although he is a part of WWE now, Cody Rhodes has talked quite fondly about his time in AEW and even supports his friends back there to this day. He has gone on record to state that he feels like he was ‘tailor-made for WWE’, but that isn’t quite what The American Nightmare used to think during his days in AEW.
Rhodes has been officially confirmed to make an appearance on WWE NXT next week to make an announcement. Interestingly, he won’t be the only star from main roster to appear on the black and gold brand, as John Cena and Paul Heyman are also scheduled to appear on the show too.
Not really. I enjoyed my time there. Always tried to win, poured my heart in soul into the place, helped create and build it. Issue arose and I left. Much love and respect for many of the folks on that team. Wish them well.
— Cody Rhodes (@CodyRhodes) October 4, 2023
A fan on Twitter shared a few clips of Cody Rhodes in his AEW days taking multiple shots at WWE and pointed out that it might be pretty awkward for Rhodes to go up against his former company. In response, the American Nightmare said that it wouldn’t be awkward for him at all, since he really enjoyed his time there.
“Not really. I enjoyed my time there. Always tried to win, poured my heart in soul into the place, helped create and build it. Issue arose and I left. Much love and respect for many of the folks on that team. Wish them well”, said Cody Rhodes in response to a fan’s tweet.
Details on Cody Rhodes departure from AEW
AEW was undoubtedly one of the biggest things that shaped Cody Rhodes’ image in the wrestling industry. Along with The Young Bucks, Rhodes announced the formation of Tony Khan’s promotion in 2019, which went on to be a suitable rival to WWE. However, The American Nightmare left the promotion along with his wife Brandi Rhodes in February 2023, a move that shocked everyone. The question on everyone’s mind at the time was: Why did Cody Rhodes leave AEW?
The American Nightmare himself answered that question not long after joining WWE. Appearing on “Stone Cold” Steve Austin’s podcast, Rhodes revealed that although AEW was sort of like a ‘baby’ to him, he felt like the promotion didn’t need him anymore. Apparently, he was tired of being the ‘gatekeeper wrestler’, who helped put over younger talent. He felt like he needed more in his career, which is why he switched over to WWE in 2022.
Cody Rhodes made his shocking return to the Stamford-based promotion at WrestleMania 38: Night One as Seth Rollins’ mystery opponent. From that point on, he embarked on a fairytale journey, which saw him emerge victorious against some of the company’s top stars, win the 2023 Royal Rumble, headline WrestleMania 39, and even outshine John Cena and Roman Reigns in merchandise sales.
Following his memorable rivalry with Brock Lesnar, it appears that WWE doesn’t have any major plans for Cody Rhodes at the moment. Nevertheless, fans continue to delight in seeing The American Nightmare perform in the ring every week. Stay tuned for further updates on Cody Rhodes and WWE.
