WWE Champion Cody Rhodes Reveals Why He Could “Never Root Against” AEW

Cody Rhodes has re-cemented himself as a WWE guy. The American Nightmare returned to his original employer at WWE WrestleMania 38, defecting from AEW in the process. Back in Fall 2018, Rhodes and his Elite stablemates linked up with Jacksonville Jaguars owner Tony Khan to help start All Elite Wrestling, a new wrestling promotion that set out to give fans an alternative to what was a fairly monopolized scene at the time. When AEW launched, Rhodes made it clear that he saw himself as a lifer there, citing his rebellious actions towards WWE and his overall place within AEW’s corporate structure.

At some point in 2021, Rhodes and AEW grew apart. Whatever “personal issue” existed behind the scenes never got resolved, leading to Rhodes exiting AEW altogether when his contract expired in January 2022.

Cody Rhodes Still Holds Positive Sentiments Towards AEW

The American Nightmare’s father-like relationship to AEW has him always rooting for his former employer.

“If we are being honest, AEW does not happen without me. It doesn’t. With that in mind, I could never root against them,” WWE Champion Cody Rhodes told Cheap Heat. “It’s like having a kid and they go off to college and they get a DUI or they get in trouble. I’ll always have that in my heart for them.”

While AEW’s post-honeymoon phase struggles are not necessarily specifically because Rhodes left, the company did start seeing its biggest issues following his departure. Three months after his final AEW match, “Hangman” Adam Page cut the infamous “workers’ rights” promo on CM Punk. Later that summer, Punk got into a locker room fight with Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks. One year after that, Punk and Jack Perry’s fought moments before AEW ALL IN: London went on the air.

“The narrative changed a lot about my contributions to AEW. That was very disappointing,” Rhodes continued. “There were some people, I’m not going to say their names, they know who they were, who kind of tried to put some propaganda out when I left. There’s a quote in the Young Bucks’ book about how I was last to the signing.”

Despite whatever smear campaign was allegedly attempted on Rhodes, he still holds AEW in high regard and speaks fondly of his former colleagues.

“Me, Matt, and Nick are as close as ever,” Rhodes said of the Young Bucks. “I’m so glad I had them in my career and my life.”