Cody Rhodes Reveals Real Reason For WWE Exit
Cody Rhodes has explained what exactly lay behind his decision to walk away from WWE in 2016, ending his ten-year association with the company.
Cody Rhodes walked away from WWE in 2016, looking to forge his own path and make his mark in the wider wrestling world and it’s safe to say he did just that.
Rhodes and The Young Bucks turned their popularity and success into running one of the biggest independent shows in US history, All In, in 2018. That show was just the start, however, as at the beginning of 2019, The Elite announced that AEW was to be formed.
The American Nightmare was front and centre for much of his time in AEW but in February 2022 he again chose to walk away from a company and ended up returning to WWE at WrestleMania 38.
Speaking to Logan Paul on his Impaulsive podcast, Cody Rhodes opened up about why exactly he decided enough was enough in 2016:
“Stardust is the reason I left. So really the story was I was with WWE since I was 19 and was kind of a very much a legacy hire. They knew he was Dusty’s son and that opened the door for me. And then the tricky thing being second or third generation once the doors open, once you got that special treatment here, now your expectations are through the roof. And I wasn’t ready for those expectations, slow learner and all that.”
“But I was really chipping away and you know, the brass rings are these things you get when you’re lower to the middle of the card. Everything I was, you know, good live segments. I was nailing them. I won the Intercontinental Championship, I was making the most of it. I felt like I’m right there, I’m right there. I was gonna win Money in the Bank a couple of times.”
“And it changed like, as we got closer I mean, that’s the thing about it, people don’t understand how real wrestling can be some of these moments like winning the friggin Royal Rumble, I haven’t slept. That’s life-changing.”
Cody Rhodes could certainly have changed his life by winning the 2023 men’s Royal Rumble with his WrestleMania 39 match now confirmed with Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns.
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