The world of All Elite Wrestling got a shakeup this morning as it was announced that Brandi and Cody Rhodes would be departing the company. We now have some more information behind what led to this happening.
Cody Rhodes’ All Elite Wrestling contract expired at the end of December, and he has been working on a “handshake deal” ever since. Most fans expected this was much ado about nothing and that a deal would eventually be reached, but that doesn’t appear to be the case now.
On the most recent Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer stated that there had been a lot of speculation among people in both the WWE and All Elite Wrestling locker room as of late about Rhodes status and where he might be going. Meltzer initially thought it was a “minimal possibility” that the Rhodes family wouldn’t return to the company they helped launch, but clearly, things have changed.
Regarding a potential return to WWE, a company that he departed back in 2016, Meltzer stated that it was “definitely something talked about…in certain circles about the potential of something happening.”
Meanwhile, Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select is reporting that Cody Rhodes “sought a big money deal, and several didn’t think that a re-signing was going to happen.” Sapp went on to confirm that Cody and Brandi aren’t as connected to the AEW locker room as they were when the company started a few years back—reiterating past reports that Cody and the other EVPs have become distant from each other.
As it pertains to Rhodes’ post-AEW plans, Sapp reveals that WWE was aware of the situation and that this announcement was forthcoming.
The reports of a potential WWE return for Cody Rhodes continue to pick up steam from the likes of Ariel Helwani and Andrew Zarian. With the latest coming from the often reliable WrestleVotes, tweeting out:
“Spoke to a source just now that fully anticipates WWE coming to an agreement with Cody Rhodes. Unbelievable,” WrestleVotes tweeted.
READ MORE: Cody And Brandi Rhodes Announce Departure From All Elite Wrestling
What are your thoughts on this Cody Rhodes story? Do you think The American Nightmare is on his way back to WWE? Let us know your thoughts by sounding off in the comments section below.
Huge developing news in the world of pro wrestling:
Cody Rhodes is leaving AEW, sources say.
And I’m told Rhodes and WWE are in fact talking about him returning to the organization in the near future, I’m told.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) February 15, 2022
I can confirm that Cody's camp has been in contact with WWE officials.
— Andrew Zarian (@AndrewZarian) February 15, 2022
