In his most in-depth interview to date on the topic, Cody Rhodes has opened up about the real reasons he left AEW, the company he helped found, and the surprising initial purpose of his first meeting back with WWE.
Feeling Disrespected In The House He Built
Speaking on the Bill Simmons Podcast, Rhodes explained that a key factor in his 2022 departure from AEW was feeling disrespected in a company he was instrumental in creating.
“Feeling disrespected at something I built with my friends. We built. Feeling disrespected there, I wouldn’t stand for it,” Rhodes said. “Brandi and I both. I’m so blessed to have her. It was one of those where it was, ‘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.’… The greatest revenge on Earth is success.”
A Meeting For ‘Closure’ That Led To A Comeback
“The American Nightmare” also revealed that when he first met with Vince McMahon and Bruce Prichard, he did not think he was coming back to WWE. Having left the company on “crazy bad terms” in 2016, his primary goal was to get a sense of closure.
“I was excited to go to that meeting to tell them both thank you. I left in a terrible place… 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,” Rhodes recalled. “That’s all I thought it was going to be, a sense of closure… Then it turned into be something else by the end of that meeting.”
Rhodes’ journey since returning to WWE has indeed been a success, leading him to become the Undisputed WWE Champion. He will look to regain the title as he challenges John Cena for it in a Street Fight at SummerSlam. The final confrontation between the two is scheduled for tonight’s go-home episode of Friday Night SmackDown.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit Bill Simmons Podcast with an h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
