Wrapping up his All Elite Wrestling career with a loss to Sammy Guevara on the Beach Break edition of AEW Dynamite, Cody Rhodes officially departed the company on February 15, per statements posted online.
The final period of Rhodes’ time in the Tony Khan-helmed organisation brought with it several questions, including that of Cody’s character alignment. ‘The American Nightmare’ was promoted as an uber-babyface for the majority of his AEW career, typically placed in upper mid-card-to-main event-level storylines vs. MJF, Chris Jericho, Anthony Ogogo, and countless others during his three-year stay.
When it came to his last run, though, he was officially a heel. Cody Rhodes revealed as such while replying to a fan on Twitter, who had asked Rhodes whether the “personal issues” he cited as his reason for leaving the company were actually boos he received from the audience. Instead, Cody was receiving the right reaction for his character.
Ha no – I was a heel, the fans were amazing. It ain’t ever on the fans.
— Cody Rhodes (@CodyRhodes) November 10, 2022
Cody Rhodes Clears The Air On His AEW Departure
Social media can be a cruel mistress at the best of times, let alone when you’re involved in the entertainment business. Cody Rhodes knows this all too well, as he revealed when having to clear the air on why he left AEW, a company he’d helped build from the ground up:
“I didn’t leave because of the Bucks/Kenny. I’m forever bonded to those men over what we created and I remain very proud of it, and I didn’t leave because of/or have issues with Punk. We got along. Not money, not booking, just a personal issue and my wanting to go for the big one.”
I didn’t leave because of the Bucks/Kenny. I’m forever bonded to those men over what we created and I remain very proud of it, and I didn’t leave because of/or have issues with Punk. We got along. Not money, not booking, just a personal issue and my wanting to go for the big one.
— Cody Rhodes (@CodyRhodes) October 29, 2022
Cody Rhodes returned to WWE on night one of WrestleMania 38, besting Seth ‘Freakin’ Rollins. He hasn’t appeared since the June 6 Monday Night Raw, though, having been written off television by Rollins after suffering a torn pectoral tendon.