Why Did Cody Rhodes Leave AEW?

So, why did Cody Rhodes leave AEW? Cody Garrett Runnels Rhodes, born on 30th June 1985, is a well-known wrestler from the United States. He is presently a World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) performer, appearing on the Raw franchise. He is renowned for his time in All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he held the positions of inaugural and three-time AEW TNT Champion and executive vice president, as well as for his current tenure in the WWE following his comeback at WrestleMania 38.

Naturally, Rhodes started his career in the WWE, where he achieved greatness as a solo and combo fighter. Still, he always seemed to reach a plateau. The WWE didn’t appear to view Rhodes as anything more than a strong mid-card talent, not the main event star he believed he could be, even though he gained fans and had terrific matches. When his contract with WWE expired in 2016, Rhodes decided to leave and pursue other opportunities.

Fortunately for Rhodes, taking a chance on himself paid off. He quickly rose to fame in the independent wrestling community. He enjoyed success during stints with mid-sized organizations like Ring of Honor and Impact Wrestling. As a co-founder of WWE’s new rival AEW, where he wrestled and worked as an executive vice president for billionaire owner Tony Khan, Rhodes later contributed to the game’s transformation. Cody Rhodes is undoubtedly a better entertainer now than he was when he left WWE.

Here is why Cody Rhodes left AEW to rejoin WWE at WrestleMania 38.

Why is Cody Rhodes Not in AEW?

WWE superstar Cody Rhodes has denied rumors that he left AEW for better pay or artistic disagreements. He said that a personal situation was the cause of his decision to leave the organization and that the moment was perfect.

In a conversation, Rhodes claimed that many reports about the reasons for his departure from AEW were baseless and false. Additionally, he declared that he wouldn’t defame his former employers and wouldn’t discuss the specifics of how he left the business.

He decided to keep quiet about leaving AEW and intended to follow through on his promise. There was no interview shot. There were numerous theories, but none of them made sense.

There were topics related to finances and artistic control. It has been a challenging two months for Rhodes because they were printed as fact, but actually, it was just fiction. But, according to him, it was a personal issue.

When Did Cody Leave AEW?

Despite being the current TNT Champion and an executive vice president for the fledgling organization, Rhodes began 2022 without an AEW agreement. On 15th February, he formally departed the organization, and at WrestleMania 38 at the beginning of April, he made a comeback to the WWE.

Cody Rhodes WWE Debut Match

In the WWE, Cody Rhodes’ debut battle was against Randy Orton on the Monday Night Raw broadcast on 16th July 2007. One of the youngest WWE wrestlers ever at the time of his debut, Cody Rhodes, was 22 years old. At ringside, he was joined by Dusty Rhodes, who had recently been feuding with Randy Orton on WWE Monday Night Raw.

In a brief encounter, Cody Rhodes’ WWE debut was unsuccessful as he lost to former World Champion Randy Orton. Orton dominated most of the match, focusing most of his attention on Dusty Rhodes at ringside as he watched his son being attacked by Orton.

What was Cody Rhodes’ Last Match in AEW?

Cody faced Sammy Guevara in the AEW ring for the final time, and the Undisputed TNT Champion was to be determined in a high-stakes ladder match.

The two stars were undoubtedly at their finest during that match. The two put their lives in danger to produce one of the best matches in the AEW era. The stars used the nearby ladders in some quite inventive ways to cause harm.

Guevara responded with a stunning mid-air cutter as Cody finished The Spanish God with a Cross Rhodes off the ladder. They both pushed each other to the very edge. After pushing The American Nightmare off the top of the ladder, Sammy was declared the undisputed winner.

When Did Cody Rhodes Debut in Wrestlemania 38?

WrestleMania 38 featured Cody Rhodes’ debut on 2nd April 2022.

Cody Rhodes WrestleMania Debut Match

WrestleMania 38 featured Cody Rhodes’ debut on 2nd April 2022.

Rhodes resigned as an EVP and left AEW with his wife Brandi Rhodes in February 2022 after failing to reach a renewed contract agreement. At WrestleMania 38 that April, he made a comeback to WWE, defeating Seth Rollins.

Are Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes Friends?

Since The American Nightmare’s comeback at WrestleMania 38, the two superstars have been engaged in a rivalry. The Rhodes and Rollins storyline was discussed on the Busted Open Radio show, and it was noted that their most recent RAW segment was significant.

Fans frequently question whether the two guys are still closest buddies in real life. Yes, it is the answer. Despite their frequent disagreements on television, the two guys never let their friendship suffer. 

Final Words – Why Did Cody Rhodes Leave AEW?

Many are understandably confused as to why Rhodes left what appeared to an observer a reasonably comfortable position in AEW to attempt his hand at WWE success once more now that he is back under the guidance of Vince McMahon. Fortunately, a wide range of interviews with Cody Rhodes has been made public since his WWE comeback to assist in addressing such queries.

For whatever reason, Rhodes is reluctant to go into great detail. Still, based on what he has said thus far, it appears that he may have had a competent, not personal—fallout with boss Khan and, after reaching a deadlock, decided to leave AEW for WWE.

Rhodes has claimed that he still respects Khan and his fellow EVPs, notably Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks, even though he is unsure of whether or when he will expose the actual circumstances surrounding his departure from AEW.

Rhodes has acknowledged that a critical factor in his decision to return to WWE, in particular, is his desire to capture the one major championship that eluded his famous father, “The American Dream,” Dusty Rhodes. Dustin (also known as Goldust) longs to be the Rhodes family member to finally win the WWE world championship since neither Dusty nor Cody have ever done.