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Cody Rhodes Admits There’s Still Bad Blood After AEW Disrespect

By Lyle Kilbane • Published Jul 31, 2025 06:40 EDT
Cody Rhodes

Cody Rhodes has admitted there’s still bad blood between him and AEW, as he wouldn’t stand for the disrespect he faced in the company.

In January 2019, All Elite Wrestling was announced to the world for the very first time. Cody Rhodes, Nick Jackson, Matt Jackson, and Kenny Omega were the wrestling EVPs and the cornerstone of the promotion, with the “Elite” part of the company coming from the group of the same name that they were all a part of.

However, by the beginning of 2022, things had turned sour, and Cody Rhodes shocked the world when he announced his exit from the company. Just weeks later, Rhodes returned to WWE at WrestleMania 38, and the rest was history.

Speculation has run rampant over what caused Rhodes, along with his wife Brandi, to leave AEW, but it seems for The American Nightmare disrespect played its part.

Cody Rhodes Felt Disrespected In AEW

Speaking in a clip released from his appearance on The Bill Simmons podcast, Cody Rhodes touched on why he ended up leaving AEW, claiming to feel disrespected in the place he helped build:

There’s clearly bad blood, but there’s also clearly respect and love. And in the end, the way I kind of see it is, if I ever felt disrespected in WWE, that’s one thing. That’s a company that was built…that’s the Yankees, that’s the flagship of it all. If I ever felt there I was a number on a sheet, maybe, but being disrespected at something I built with my friends, that we built.

Feeling disrespected there, I wouldn’t stand for it. I think Brandi and I both, I’m so blessed to have her. It was one of those where it was f*ck it, I did way more here than you think and you’re gonna find out the moment I’m out the door.

I don’t believe in the cold-hearted, backstabby type of revenge. The greatest revenge on earth is success. I felt like we were sitting on something wonderful, something great, a huge, potentially what I was doing as the American Nightmare as a bad guy, as a good guy, something in between. We’re sitting on something magic and if I’m not gonna do it in the house that I along with Matt, Nick, and Kenny built, then buddy I’m going elsewhere.

Many fans will find Rhodes’ comments interesting, as the long-held narrative has been that he refused to entertain a heel turn in AEW despite fans in the company booing him heavily towards the end of his run as they longed for something new from him.

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