Cody & Brandi Rhodes Leave AEW, Reportedly May Return To WWE
Two important members of the AEW corporate ladder may be walking out the door and back into the arms of their biggest rival. Cody Rhodes was one of the pro wrestling promotion's founders in 2019 after he departed WWE, citing creative differences. He joined Matt and Nick Jackson of the Young Bucks and Kenny Omega in the formation, collectively positioned as Executive Vice Presidents (or EVPs). His wife, Brandi Rhodes, joined the company as Chief Brand Officer. The pair worked as vital figureheads behind-the-scenes and as on-air talent, with Cody becoming the inaugural TNT Champion.
Both wrestlers enjoyed success within the company, forming the Nightmare Family faction and enlisting the mentorship of legend Arn Anderson. Brandi engaged in several storylines and matches but acted more prominently in her corporate role. Cody wrestled in highly-acclaimed matches against his brother Dustin, Malakai Black, Sammy Guevara, and others and would become the TNT Champion two additional times. He recently lost the championship to Guevara on the January 26, 2022 edition of AEW Beach Break. Cody has addressed his former employer multiple times, often portraying them negatively.
The husband and wife are reportedly leaving AEW and may return to WWE. Cody himself took to Twitter to make the shocking announcement, stating, "I have loved my time at AEW," and going on to thank several individuals. TMZ reports some recent dissent between Cody and AEW CEO and President Tony Khan. Still, Khan (via All Elite Wrestling) almost immediately followed up Cody's tweet with a statement, thanking him and Brandi for their involvement with the product. TMZ also states that Cody is discussing a way back into WWE. Check out the tweets below:
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At first glance, this is an incredibly complicated announcement to wrap one's head around. Pro wrestling has long blurred the line between reality and fiction, consisting of "kayfabe" characters and storylines that existed in the real world like a reality TV show but eschewed legitimacy in favor of fabricated writing. Cody's subversive character arc as of late hinted at the babyface (good guy) turning heel (a bad guy), despite his promise to the fans that he never would. He also reportedly became a free agent recently but still appeared on live AEW television to further sow uncertainty about his future, which many viewers assumed was another fictional attempt at transitioning his character. AEW fans met Cody's recent actions with vicious boos and jeered Brandi whenever she came into the ring, which could justify the Rhodes' departure if the announcement is accurate.
Such a gesture would not be out of the ordinary in today's pro wrestling atmosphere, where prominent stars either get released, request a release, or appear in other promotions under working agreements to establish new storylines. But the reason Cody and Brandi's departure is shocking is they were two of the most prominent faces of the AEW brand and were given such integral positions within the company. Chief among their responsibilities was developing AEW as a viable competitor to WWE, and given Cody's past tensions with Vince McMahon's business, it's an unexpected and frankly bewildering move. If this is truly an elaborate way of generating heat for the pair before some surprising reappearance at AEW, it could establish the Rhodes as sufficiently villainous characters. On the other hand, if they do end back up in WWE, it could spell trouble for AEW both in the rating battles and backstage dealings.
Source: Cody Rhodes, All Elite Wrestling, TMZ