Consider the wrestling world shocked.
Cody and Brandi Rhodes are leaving All Elite Wrestling, the company that they helped build from the ground up. The shocking announcement came via a press release from AEW CEO Tony Khan today.
Thank you Cody and Brandi Rhodes pic.twitter.com/tkDvVpnrrE
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) February 15, 2022
The news comes as extremely shocking. In 2018 patents were filed for the company and on January 1, 2019 the promotion was officially announced. It was announced that Rhodes, along with Matt and Nick Jackson of the Young Bucks and Kenny Omega, would all serve as Executive Vice Presidents of the company. Later that spring, the first events were held.
Rhodes, along with his wife, were an integral part of building AEW from nothing into what it is now. Rhodes was arguably the biggest star the promotion had to start with, and many viewed him as the heart and soul of the entire company. It seemed as though it was his baby. They helped build the company from independent to getting a TV deal with Turner Broadcasting, to now being a legitimate competitor of WWE, who seemed completely untouchable in the world of professional wrestling promotions up until as soon as just two years ago.
To make things even more interesting, it’s already being reported that Rhodes is in talks to return in the “near future” with WWE. Ariel Helwani tweeted the following:
This is extremely significant considering Rhodes (and his wife) were a part of the small group that helped launch AEW alongside Tony Khan in 2019.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) February 15, 2022
With Wrestlemania, professional wrestling’s Super Bowl equivalent, coming up in just a few months, it will definitely be interesting to see if Rhodes pops up any time soon. He left WWE back in 2016 after requesting his release following years of stale character development and being buried on the roster.
Cody’s brother Dustin Rhodes, who is also with AEW, has tweeted the following about his brother’s bombshell announcement:
I love my brother #CodyRhodes. I love my sister in law @TheBrandiRhodes .
Whatever they decide to do in life, I support 110%. I am sad that they are gone, but the fucking train keeps moving. 💙❤️#LFG— Dustin Rhodes (@dustinrhodes) February 15, 2022
He also tweeted confirming that he has no intentions of going anywhere:
No I am not leaving. I like it here in @AEW
— Dustin Rhodes (@dustinrhodes) February 15, 2022
It will definitely be interesting to see how the professional wrestling world reacts following this massive shake up. Be on the lookout for Rhodes to appear on WWE potentially soon.
