Cody Rhodes says Matt Hardy might be “elite” but it’s a decision that’s ultimately not his to make.
Cody took part in a media call ahead of AEW Double Or Nothing and was asked about Matt Hardy’s status as far as The Elite is concerned. Hardy is teaming up with Kenny Omega, Hangman Page and The Young Bucks on Saturday, so the question was asked about what this would mean for Hardy’s standing with the group.
Cody explained that this might be controversial (but it shouldn’t be) and said he’s really not in a place to say who is elite and who isn’t. Cody said he enjoys having Hardy on the roster and loves the presence he brings, but he considers Omega and the Bucks as the original Elite and it’s their decision to make, not his. He added that he pushes his own brand so hard because it’s out of respect for the three guys that truly represent the Elite brand.
“Matt Hardy is wonderful. Last night I got the privilege to sit outside and just have a beautiful view of the Jacksonville waterfront with Matt and to hear him tell stories to some of the younger guys. [He’s] really a special veteran who is, not unlike my brother, is able to continue to go. It’s really great having his presence.
“As far as The Elite is concerned—I’ll go ahead and say it and it’s probably the most controversial thing on this call and I don’t mean it to be—The Elite, more than anything, is the originals, the OGs. That being Kenny Omega and Matt and Nick Jackson. That’s the heartbeat of it all. Those guys are the glue and they do everything individually together. I mean, look at it — Kenny was PWI’s Wrestler of the Year last year. Matt and Nick Jackson, I don’t know how many tag team accolades they’ve won. They’re incredibly polarizing figures but they’re polarizing because they’re damn, damn good. That’s The Elite.
“Then you’ve got the ‘Expanded Universe’ of The Elite. You’ve got Hangman Adam Page and Marty Scurll—bless his soul—and I would assume that ‘Broken’ Matt is trial by fire here as someone under the Elite banner. I’ll tell you on a personal level, the reason I go so hard for the Nightmare Family, the jackets and everything, is out of respect for The Elite. That’s their world. It’s an honor to have been selected to be a part of it and to have been with those guys. We’re a family and that’s very, very special. But at the end of the day, the ‘OG’ Elite will always determine who is Elite – Kenny, Matt and Nick. I think Matt [Hardy] gets a ‘battlefield promotion’, perhaps, to the Elite.”
The full conference call with Cody Rhodes can be heard at the top of this page.
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