Since his departure from the company he co-founded with Tony Khan, The Young Bucks, and Kenny Omega in early 2022, Cody Rhodes has kept relatively quiet about the “personal issue” that led to his exit from AEW.
He maintained this reticence during a recent appearance on Cheap Heat with Peter Rosenberg. However, Rhodes came closer than ever before to addressing whether he still supports AEW’s success:
“These questions, I now approach very cautiously because they’re the ones that will be highlighted in this interview. I’ll say this: there has been a significant shift in the narrative surrounding my contributions to AEW, and that was quite disheartening.
Certain individuals, whom I won’t name, are aware of their actions, attempted to propagate misinformation when I departed.”
“There’s a passage in The Young Bucks’ book mentioning how I was the last to sign.
My relationship with Matt & Nick [Jackson] remains as strong as ever, and I’m grateful for their presence in my career and life. However, it’s crucial to acknowledge that AEW wouldn’t exist without me.
It simply wouldn’t. With that in mind, I could never wish ill upon it. It’s akin to seeing a child go off to college and encounter challenges… I’ll always harbor that sentiment for them.”
“The wound inflicted was more profound and agonizing than people realize because now they perceive the situation differently, thinking, ‘Oh, you’re at the pinnacle, you have everything.’
Perhaps they fail to grasp that I truly gave my all. I did. And, yes, I couldn’t envision a scenario where I’d wish them ill.”
Cody’s mention of the passage in Matt & Nick Jackson’s autobiography likely refers to a section in “Killing The Business” where they discuss AEW’s inception and Rhodes’ initial reservations after the first ALL IN event.
Despite his hesitations, The Bucks believed Rhodes was “the missing piece to the puzzle.”
Less clear, at least to this writer, is Rhodes’ reference to “random things said at press conferences” about him and his wife Brandi, which sometimes makes it challenging for him to fully support AEW’s success, despite believing it’s beneficial for the wrestling industry as a whole:
“And then, from an entirely external perspective, my connection to AEW or anything else, my friendships, the talents I signed, the individuals from my school, and so forth.
But beyond that, it’s crucial that they persevere. If AEW were to falter, I don’t think anyone in the locker room comprehends the financial ramifications it would have on the wrestling industry.
The ripple effect it would create within independent wrestling. We’ve established a nurturing environment in sports entertainment for individuals to provide for their families and thrive, receiving the recognition they deserve on a global scale. I would hate to see that progress undone.
“So, that’s another concern I harbor randomly, whether they’re struggling or succeeding.
Nevertheless, I would never wish them harm in any circumstance. That’s not always easy, especially when remarks are made about you or your spouse at press conferences.
That’s a significant misstep; you should never invoke my name or my wife’s, Tony should have made that clear. So, yes, I will never wish them harm. Truly, I won’t.”
Perhaps he’s alluding to Timeless Toni Storm’s comments during the post-Dynasty scrum?
