Cody Rhodes and Brandi Rhodes have left AEW after they could not come to terms on a new contract. Fightful was told by AEW sources last Friday the two were likely on their way out of the company, and several didn't think that a re-signing was going to happen. By that night, numerous people inside and outside the company had knowledge of the situation, and were of the belief that Cody was leaving the company. However, inquiries started to come to Cody directly over the weekend, which he claimed were spun.
Shortly before the announcement, WWE officials were aware of the situation and also knew that an announcement would be dropped. We've heard that the two sides have at the least had discussions, but WWE was well aware that an announcement regarding Rhodes' departure would be made at 10 am EST.
About 15 minutes before Cody's announcement, word had also spread to AEW talent that he was leaving the company.
The locker room began talking last Wednesday, when neither were seen in Atlantic City for AEW Dynamite. Leading up to that, many talent that we spoke to were suspicious that Cody Rhodes' entire contract situation had been a work, with a lot of question marks regarding the legitimacy. However, they came to realize that the situation was real.
We've heard from AEW sources that some had reached out to Cody over the weekend, but the situation was downplayed, and he even said that word of him leaving was conjecture, and he was simply negotiating. Those that had spoken to him say that he claimed he loved working with AEW and Tony Khan. There are several production employees in AEW who were partial to working with Cody Rhodes, as he went to bat for them within the company.
Despite reports to the contrary, Fightful never gained a confirmation that Rhodes to the Top would be returning for a second season, despite asking WarnerMedia, AEW and TNT numerous times. Those we spoke to in AEW have not seen any filming for the program taking place of late. There are hopes that other wrestlers can be featured on reality programs, with Darby Allin being filmed. As of Thursday, Rhodes to the Top had not been canceled, and there are still ongoing discussions regarding the future. A Shot Of Brandi is being actively pitched and shopped, which Brandi will retain the rights to. Also, it looks like Brandi Rhodes plans on continuing to pursue in-ring wrestling, as she was spotted training at the Nightmare Factory following news of their departure.
In the hours that followed Cody and Brandi Rhodes' departure from All Elite Wrestling, more wrestlers were talking. We should reiterate, that plenty knew throughout the weekend ahead of Monday's announcement that something was up, but almost nobody would explicitly state what was going on between AEW and Cody Rhodes. There were mixed feelings and a lot of emotions on both sides of things as Rhodes has been seen as polarizing on and off the screen. However, we've heard plenty of support for the Rhodes' within AEW. We're told that although there were some disagreements, the split was at least "amicable." We were able to find plenty of supporters and detractors of each of the two.
There were some positive stories of Rhodes doing things for the roster, like setting up a bar at Daily's Place, then others that said that his tumultuous relationships over the past couple of years had been a detriment. All the way through the process there were people in AEW that believed his entire contract situation was as a work, which waned significantly over the last weekend. Of the dozens of talent and staff across wrestling we spoke to, there was still some skepticism regarding the situation, but almost everyone was of the belief that Tony Khan would not work his own talent regarding this situation as he's seen as a "player's manager" so to speak. Those we heard from said Tony Khan didn't openly discuss the contact matters backstage, to their knowledge.
Regarding Wednesday's AEW Dynamite tapings, we were told by everyone we asked that things were "business as usual," with one person noting that it was a reminder that this is pro wrestling and life goes on. Those that we spoke to said that nothing seemed out of the ordinary, and they don't expect AEW to try to ignore or erase the existence of Cody Rhodes.
We haven't gained a confirmation that Cody Rhodes has signed with WWE as of yet, and until something like that happens, a renewal with AEW could always be reached. However, the impending announcement on Tuesday morning was being actively hyped within WWE, and officials were well aware that a 10 am reveal would be taking place.
Regarding the WWE locker room, the prevailing belief is that Cody Rhodes fell out of power in AEW and wanted a significant raise, but it's important to note that neither AEW officials or the Rhodes' have mentioned that yet.. There was excitement and shock among those that we heard from, including several top stars in the company ready to welcome Cody Rhodes back to WWE with open arms. One top name said that they think it will be great for fans, and considers it the most interesting thing in the company in a long time. Another pointed out that a lot of people on the WWE roster came up with Cody and spent a lot of time with him, and are excited at the idea of him returning. No members of the WWE roster have heard explicitly from WWE that he's reached a deal as of yet.
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