Cody Rhodes Says He Doesn’t Look At AEW With Any Negativity Because He Got To Be Part Of WWE Again

Cody Rhodes offers more insight into his AEW departure and WWE return.

After leaving WWE in 2016, Cody Rhodes established himself as one of the top names on the independent scene, working with Bullet Club members The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) and Kenny Omega. The success of All In led to the formation of AEW, where Cody, the Bucks, and Omega were named Executive Vice Presidents.

Much to the surprise of many, Cody departed AEW in February 2022 and returned to WWE at WrestleMania 38.

Speaking to Bill Simmons on the Bill Simmons podcast, Cody was asked if he felt like AEW had a shelf life or if it would be his home forever.

“It’s hard to put myself in that spot again. I started to get a sense…Michael Hayes is famous for, ‘Always leave the territory at your hottest.’ I started to get a sense that all wrestling needs change. Guys are going to go from company to company. You have to keep it fresh. I just got the sense that it might be time for me to move into something else. I didn’t know what that was. I remember thinking, ‘Oh, that’d be crazy to be part of the Royal Rumble. To come home.’ I made another home. I got kids at this home, basically, but to show everybody. The first meeting I had with Vince (McMahon) and Bruce Prichard, I didn’t think I was coming back. I was excited to go to that meeting to tell them both thank you. I left on crazy bad terms. No one could leave how I left. They didn’t even sign my release papers. I left in a terrible place. They let it happen, probably out of respect for my dad more than anything. Then I went out and fought so hard. I’m filled with rage. I’m smashing the throne. I’m bleeding. I’m setting myself on fire. I was going through it and living it out for everyone who was watching, but I wanted to tell them both ‘thanks. You guys helped build me and train me.’ I took all those skills and I took them everywhere I went. Every company, every independent, I got to reinvent myself on how I wanted to be in WWE, I got to be that outside. That’s all I thought it was going to be, a sense of closure. ‘Thank you so much for the lessons I never got to thank you for.’ Then it turned into be something else by the end of that meeting,” recalled Cody.

Simmons asked if Cody felt he couldn’t elevate in AEW, fearing that he would be in the same spot in 2024 that he was in in 2022.

“Maybe that’s a little of it. I started thinking about writing a book the other day. I was thinking, ‘What would I say? How would I put it?’ There is clearly bad blood, but there is also clearly respect and love. In the end, the way I kind of see it is, if I felt disrespected ever at WWE, that’s one thing. That’s a company that was built…that’s the Yankees, that’s the flagship of it all. If I ever felt there (in WWE), ‘I was a number on a sheet,’ but feeling disrespected at something I built with my friends. We built. Feeling disrespected there, I wouldn’t stand for it. Brandi and I both. I’m so blessed to have her. It was one of those where it was, ‘Fuck it. I did way more here than you think, and you’re going to find out the moment I’m out the door.’ I hate saying that with any sense of anger or rage, but I’m like the angriest person you’re ever going to meet [Laughs]. I don’t believe in the cold-hearted backstabby type of revenge. The greatest revenge on Earth is success. I felt like we were sitting on something wonderful, something great. Potentially, what I was doing with the American Nightmare, as a bad guy, a good guy, something in-between, we’re sitting on something magical. If I’m not going to do it in the house that I literally, with Matt, Nick, and Kenny built, then buddy, I’m going elsewhere. Every day, I’m so blessed that Bruce Prichard, Nick, Triple H, and Vince got me back. I get to live it out now,” said Cody.

Simmons compared Cody’s situation with AEW to the Dallas Cowboys with owner Jerry Jones and former coach Jimmy Johnson. Simmons said that Jimmy was brought in to build a winner, which he did, but as the Cowboys had more success, Jones got more involved, leading to a divide between the two.

“Probably similar,” said Cody. “If it hurts even more when you’re tasked to do something when somebody sees it with their own eyes, but then, I don’t look at any of it…I said I was angry and enraged, I don’t look at it with any negativity, and here’s why: I got to be part of WWE again. I got to be part of WWE, we’re talking about (Steve) Austin and (Hulk) Hogan, two of the greatest to ever lace their boots, and every one of those records have been broken. I got to be in the matches that broke those records. I got to stand across from Roman Reigns at (WrestleMania) 39, I got to do it again. I got the quarterback spot at a company where I was last in the combine. I’m very grateful. That’s why I have trouble articulating it and why I want to write this book. I’m very grateful because, this schism happened, but the outcome is I got to be with the biggest game in town. Not only did I get this spot, I got to show them that I could do it.”

Simmons noted it was a good career move for Cody, who agreed by stating, “Good career move.”

Rhodes is set to challenge John Cena for the Undisputed WWE Championship at WWE SummerSlam.

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