[BestInTheWorld312]

In a short clip from an appearance on The Bill Simmons Podcast that has yet to drop, former WWE Champion Cody Rhodes apparently is opening up on why he left AEW, saying there is still a mix of “bad blood, respect, and love” for his previous promotion.
In the 73-second clip seen below, Rhodes replied to a question not on the video, saying “There’s clearly bad blood, but there’s also clearly respect and love.”

Rhodes said that the way he sees it, if he was ever disrespected at WWE, “that’s one thing,” equating the company to the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball — an established brand where he’s a number on a spreadsheet.
“But feeling disrespected at something I built with my friends…that we built, feeling disrespected there…I wouldn’t stand for it,” he said. “I think with Brandi and I both…I’m so blessed to have her. It was one of those where it was like, ‘F*ck it.’ I did way more here than you think and you’re going to find out the moment I’m out the door.”
Rhodes continued.

“I don’t believe in the cold-hearted back-stabby type of revenge. The greatest revenge on Earth is success. And, I felt like we were sitting on something wonderful, something great, a huge potentially…with what I was doing with the American Nightmare as a bad guy, as a good guy, something in between. We’re sitting on something magic and if I’m not doing to do it in the house I literally with Matt (Jackson), Kenny (Omega) and Nick (Jackson) built? Then, buddy, I’m going elsewhere.”

Ooooh That Bill Simmons interview needs to drop asap lol

 

[Serpico Jones]

 

[Rhodess]

It is a privilege to have Cody in your company and Tony fumbled this more than anything else. Time to make it right.

 

[Christopher Moltisanti]

Hoooo boy.

If Cody is burying you, you know you fucked up big time since he's not the type to talk like this. Wow.

 

[BestInTheWorld312]

It is a privilege to have Cody in your company and Tony fumbled this more than anything else. Time to make it right.

I wonder if Cody has a NDA, because it does seem like he is holding back on someone (Most likely Tony lmao)

 

[.christopher.]

Cody is just mad they never found out where Shaq went after leaving the ambulance

 

[La Parka]

I like Cody and routinely shit on AEW but no. Cody wasn’t close to this amazing story in AEW. His feuds with Ogogo, Marshall, Andrade were all awful. The matches sucked, the finishes sucked and the crowd rightfully let him know. His promos where he acted like a heel one week and a face the next was going nowhere. He was very stale in AEW when he left. He could’ve done a lot more if he signed back and the booker didn’t allow him to lean into his worst habits but that’s not AEW. If he stuck around he’d still be working with whoever 2025’s version of Brock Anderson is or whatever.

WWE was perfect for Cody. His promo style works much better in the WWE environment where he has smart people leading him into a direction that doesn’t have him fighting for race issues vs a black dude.

 

[Dr. Middy]

Cody initially was doing really good work, but him doing this weird selfless deal of making it so he couldn't win the world title and then somehow still positioning himself as this big star always in the midcard to even the lower midcard with Ogogo, Marshall, Spears, and others was always just baffling. I remember shows where he would get the biggest, most elaborate entrance on the show only to feud with fucking QT Marshall. The fans didn't turn on the guy undeservingly so, the character just became immensely annoying with like the racism promo deal and other shit, it's like nobody was reeling this guy in. WWE honestly does fit him much better like @La Parka mentioned, he has people to sorta reel him in and keep him focused and play to his strengths, and he's succeeded as a result in spades.

I don't know if we'll ever truly hear the exact reason as to why he feels the way he does, or if he's just playing it up to play it up, or if he respects Omega, the Bucks, and Tony enough to never fully mention it. It always felt like something happened backstage between them that caused major disagreements and I'd be curious to hear what it is. But it's been years now, so who knows if we'll ever hear it, or maybe a retired Cody one day will truly spill the beans.

 

[The XL]

AEW sucks, but Cody has a big head now like he's some undeniable talent. He's an easily replaceable cog in the machine that WWE positioned on top to demoralize and destabilize AEW. WWE has at least 5 guys who could take his spot without blinking an eye.

Tony Khan is a moron though. There is no denying that.

 

[yeahbaby!]

He's lucky he didn't get fired from AEW after saying in plain english in the middle of the ring "I will not turn heel". Fucking idiotic behaviour along with the gender reveal baby shower and cutting people like Malakai Black off at the knees.

More power to the guy of course, in the end he took the big WWE ball and ran all the way with it finally.

 

[NapperX]

We all know Cody is a liar, he never built that company with his own money, it was someone else's money so no, don't say you built someone else's business.

 

[Lorromire]

Cody was his worst enemy in AEW and shot himself in the foot over and over. The second he got a rightful pushback, he started complaining.

Not to say he didn't do correct/good things, but the bad outweighed the good as a viewer. He's much better suited for the WWE style of corporation.

 

[zkorejo]

He is mad at TK he didn't get the booking power. So he could book himself in every angle and make everything about himself. I think its better this way. Cody is in a better position as fotc (which is what he wanted). Not sure why he's whining now about what happened 3 years ago.

Also, everytime AEW is performing well, Cody starts talking about it negatively. He knows what he's doing.

 

[shadows123]

To paraphrase Vince… Cody screwed Cody …. As the top star and a co-booker who along with the bucks and Kenny were apparently so full of great ideas, he decided to book himself to never compete for the title, have a meaningless babyface run, get turned on by the fans at every turn, refused to turn heel..

as much as everything else was fumbled by Tony, he did not help his case at all with his own booking ideas

 

[zkorejo]

It always felt like something happened backstage between them that caused major disagreements and I'd be curious to hear what it is. But it's been years now, so who knows if we'll ever hear it, or maybe a retired Cody one day will truly spill the beans.

My guess is Brandi happened. I remember BTE they took a shot at Brandi the same week Cody and Brandi left. Pretty sure Cody is good with Elite but brandi no.

Also wwe didnt take her. Has to be a reason why. I remember she was all dressed up for Cody's mania debut and they didn't have her out with him.

 

[hari123]

he decided to book himself to never compete for the title,

That really felt like one of the dumbest things AEW booked in year 1, when they didn’t have many stars to afford a guy like Cody not compete for world title (which itself is new and needed as much legitimacy as possible)

 

[GeneBlasterV1]

He is mad at TK he didn't get the booking power. So he could book himself in every angle and make everything about himself. I think its better this way. Cody is in a better position as fotc (which is what he wanted). Not sure why he's whining now about what happened 3 years ago.

Also, everytime AEW is performing well, Cody starts talking about it negatively. He knows what he's doing.

By what metric is AEW performing any better than usual? They had a good PPV. Okay. They usually do. So? Then they do like 4 straight TVs in what looks like a college auditorium, Omega is out, Ospreay is out, and while not for a long time apparently, any kind of neck problems isn't good for a guy who works like he does.

 

[zkorejo]

By what metric is AEW performing any better than usual? They had a good PPV. Okay. They usually do. So? Then they do like 4 straight TVs in what looks like a college auditorium, Omega is out, Ospreay is out, and while not for a long time apparently, any kind of neck problems isn't good for a guy who works like he does.

From the whole post that's what you're going to quote me on to discuss further and derail the topic?

All In did pretty good I'd say. Wwe failed to hurt them with 3 shows they counter programmed with. Did good ppv sales, did good ticket sales. Forbidden Door seems like will be a good one too.

Weekly shows are interesting. Feuds are being built well.

I like smaller arenas with personality like the ones they have been doing.

Point is... they are way more fun to watch than Cody crying about daddy and his shit feud with Cena. Cody knows that. So he has to knock them down instead of making his stuff good.

 

[CM Buck]

Way to dig up corpses Cody. Youve talked about this before. I know everyone who engages in tribalism and Fed Good/Bad Dub Good/Bad bs are necrophiliacs but it doesnt mean the rest of us are.

You are as bad as ricochet now.

 

[zkorejo]

Or maybe he's doing the current Young Bucks storyline.