Cody Rhodes has finally landed in WWE, officially kicking off the free agency wars between WWE and AEW with the first round of AEW contracts coming due.
Cody Rhodes reportedly signed with WWE in early March as Mike Johnson of PWInsider reported he had signed 10 to 14 days before his March 18 report. The idea was floated to me that there might be a possibility again, with a new role involving the ROH acquisition.” While speaking of a mystery WrestleMania opponent, Edge said there would be “no smoke and mirrors about it,” another nod to the “Dashing Cody Rhodes character. In a heartfelt post, Rhodes thanked AEW and its leadership as he looked to turn the page to an unlikely next chapter in wrestling. In a sudden turn of events, an exclusive report from Cassidy Haynes of Bodyslam.net suggested talks between WWE and Cody had fizzled out. Rhodes was working without a contract in AEW toward the end of his stint in the Jacksonville-based promotion, however many assumed he would re-sign as one of its founding members.
The former AEW executive vice president returned to WWE after six years away and returned to a huge ovation as he battled and defeated Seth Rollins on Night One ...
But yes, Triple H and I spoke right before my match, I was very excited to see him,” Rhodes concluded. I was very loud and vociferous and very angry. “And I think Triple H did it in such a Triple H fashion. I get to be me?! Especially come from where I had left here, there is nothing to be angry about. “Also to see him healthy.
Rhodes was revealed as Seth Rollins' mystery opponent, coming out with his full AEW presentation to beat the former WWE Champion. This all came after Rhodes ...
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Cody Rhodes returned to WWE with a bang on Saturday after he was chosen as a mystery opponent at WrestleMania 38. He beat four-time world champion Seth ...
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Rhodes ended his six-year absence from WWE on Saturday at WrestleMania 38, defeating Seth Rollins in what became the worst-kept secret in wrestling. The ...
The reality of the situation: Rhodes wants to be WWE champion, the lone feat his father never accomplished in a wrestling ring. But in that moment, it was just closure on the first loop and excitement for what’s next. “One of the most special parts of it was Bruce [Prichard] and the chairman himself, Vince, flew down to meet me," Rhodes said (around the five-minute mark). “If that meeting had not led to anything, had it just been a conversation about wrestling or sports entertainment ... it would been great closure on the last loop, because I left here on the worst of terms. Rhodes ended his six-year absence from WWE on Saturday at WrestleMania 38, defeating Seth Rollins in what became the worst-kept secret in wrestling. "I remember saying, ‘I have to be me. As Rhodes told The Ringer Wrestling Show, however, his desire to finish what he started won him over in his return to WWE. Rhodes said Vince McMahon also gave him the vindication he was seeking in negotiations.
Cody Rhodes has crossed the line back to WWE. The former AEW executive vice president and a founding member of that company made good on significant ...
Rhodes was a two-time intercontinental champion and six-time tag team champion at the time of his original WWE departure. Early in the contest, Rhodes briefly exhibited Stardust's mannerisms, a figurative shedding of the skin of Rhodes' much-maligned gimmick prior to his WWE departure. Rhodes made his triumphant return using the same theme music and elaborate entrance he utilized in AEW.
Rhodes was a three-time TNT champion for AEW. The son of late pro wrestling legend Dusty Rhodes, Rhodes started his in-ring career with WWE in 2006. He was with ...
“I chose to remain silent about my departure from AEW and I’m going to keep my word on that. The son of late pro wrestling legend Dusty Rhodes, Rhodes started his in-ring career with WWE in 2006. He was with the company for 10 years until requesting his release in 2016. I get an opportunity at my dream, I get another chance at it. AEW, which is owned by Tony Khan, is WWE’s most significant competition since WCW went out of business in 2001. It led to the announcement that Rollins would be facing an opponent of WWE chairman Vince McMahon’s choosing.
Cody Rhodes returned to WWE as the mystery opponent for Seth Rollins. Rhodes came out to Downstait's “Kingdom” to a massive response.
His contract expired at end of 2021 and last wrestled for the promotion in February when he lost the TNT title to Sammy Guevara. I have nothing but respect for Matt [Jackson], Nick [Jackson] and Kenny [Omega]. I’m rooting for Tony Khan. His name is going to be in the history books as someone who helped to bankroll and support this entire alternative and revolution that AEW became but for me, it was just time to to move on. I chose to remain silent about my departure from AEW and I’m going to keep my word on that.
In that time, Rhodes has wrestled all over the world and was integral to the founding of All Elite Wrestling (AEW), the rival wrestling promotion run by Tony ...
But the No. 1 thing I am able to carry with me is that connection to the audience. It kind of feels like being in the military and having conquered something or having won this battle and being able to stand and keep your chin parallel with the floor and to be able to come in that fashion, a bit of a conquering hero. Then we were able to do what we were able to do with AEW and that’s something that I’m very proud of, but to be able to revisit the thing that I set out to do in the first place when I didn’t think I would get that chance is just heavy. To quote some of these individuals who courted me for this moment, “It’s not broke.” And this was a place that didn’t care for me. I think the elusive thing for any wrestler to find is the connection with the audience. I have nothing but respect for Matt [Jackson], Nick [Jackson] and Kenny [Omega]. I’m rooting for Tony Khan. His name is going to be in the history books as someone who helped to bankroll and support this entire alternative and revolution that AEW became but for me, it was just time to to move on. When I first got into wrestling, I was solely in the WWE system, and I had that dream of getting to the top. I chose to remain silent about my departure from AEW and I’m going to keep my word on that. I don’t want to put any hyperbole there, but it’s the biggest crowd in wrestling. “He went to Madison Square Garden, stood across from Superstar Billy Graham and he held it in his hands, the goal of mine, and it was taken away because that was the context of the match,” Rhodes said. It just seems like kind of a culmination of my whole career, but I don’t want to jinx it. He also revealed that there is a Dusty Rhodes documentary in the works as part of WWE’s partnership with A&E under the “Biography: WWE Legends” banner.
Former AEW star Cody Rhodes returned to WWE as Seth Rollins' mystery opponent. Following an impressive pyro display, Rhodes used his AEW theme music, ...
“Two very high profile people were adamant to the boss that if (when) Cody Rhodes arrives, he should be exactly what he was in AEW. Presentation, ring gear, theme music, pyro, etc. MJF has made shrewdly exploited his character to perform real-life contract negotiations both on AEW television and in interviews. One who was able to transcend typical AEW fan responses, which are usually on-brand with how AEW wants them to react. Rhodes’ reactions, however, only made him come off as a bigger star. These polarizing reactions have since been inherited by Sammy Guevara and Tay Conti. Amazing people.
After weeks of speculation, reports and rumours, Cody Rhodes made his highly-anticipated return to WWE tonight at WrestleMania 38 in Dallas.
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As most internet -savvy fans expected, Cody Rhodes was indeed the mystery opponent for Seth Rollins on Saturday night at WWE WrestleMania 38...
But Rhodes' journey from here is something even fans with a rudimentary understanding of his history should want to see unfold. There was Rhodes looking every bit the part of a big-leaguer, even shrugging off a Pedigree. He was the guy who left for the indies, Rollins was the former indie guy who became the face of the company. Where things go from here is hard to project, especially with the men's main event scene getting unified titles of some sort in the near future. If he wants to be a babyface, he'll lean into that and the usual trappings of that style of character. If he wants to be a heel, it'd be all too easy to lean into the character who has returned to save a company, etc. But there's a snowball-down-mountain bit of momentum for WWE to lean on right now, even if fans have every right to raise an eyebrow and express some skepticism that this will continue.
After departing WWE, Rhodes took the independent scene by storm, had stints in New Japan Pro Wrestling, Impact Wrestling, and Ring of Honor and, most notably, ...
Of course, just because he's back in WWE doesn't mean Rhodes' abandoned the persona he built over the last few years. It was Rhodes' first match with the company since leaving in 2016, when he was still portraying the Stardust character. For now, given he's facing off against Seth Rollins, it's safe to say he'll be on the Raw brand.
The return of the American Nightmare Cody Rhodes means so many things for the wrestling industry's two biggest promotions WWE and AEW.
Cody beating Seth at WrestleMania catapults him to the top of the WWE World Title picture. AEW midcarders and anyone dissatisfied with how they’re currently being treated in the promotion knows that there’s an opportunity in WWE. Much worse, it gives a signal to former WWE superstars now in AEW that if they’re a big enough star, they can come back to WWE, and Vince will welcome them with open arms. This usually works well for these wrestlers, as in AEW they find new opportunities, get title shots when they couldn’t in WWE, and get more screen time on TV. All of a sudden, midcarders and anyone dissatisfied in the WWE locker room had a second option. This led to Cody knocking on Vince McMahon’s door, and the WWE Chairman took the opportunity to snag one of the most integral pieces of AEW’s founding back into the fold. As AEW progressed, the roles of the former Bullet Club members backstage lessened, and the executive title of Cody eventually became executive only in title. Cody would then spend the next two years in the independent circuit, traveling to the UK, Japan, and around the United States. In the Japanese promotion NJPW and the American promotion ROH, Cody would play a pivotal role in the villainous stable Bullet Club. It was in this stable that he met Nick Jackson, Matt Jackson, and Kenny Omega, with whom he later would organize the independent event All In in 2018.