Shaquille O’Neal says he’d love to step inside an AEW ring and rough up Cody Rhodes.
WarnerMedia announced on Monday that it has entered into a multi-year sports and entertainment deal with Shaq that spans far beyond his role as an basketball analyst.
Shaq has been a key part of TurnerSports’ NBA coverage since 2011. As part of the new agreement with WarnerMedia, he will executive-produce projects for Bleacher Report, develop a new show for NBA TV, host a new podcast and be part of CNN’s New Year’s Eve coverage. He also wants to wrestle Cody Rhodes for All Elite Wrestling.
Shaq called out Cody on Monday while discussing his new deal with Warner.
“I’d love to fight Cody,” told The Athletic. “Write it. Print it. Text it to him. Call AEW up and tell them.”
The 7-foot-1 star has been a huge pro wrestling fan since childhood. He’s made multiple in-ring appearances throughout the years. He was ringside for Hulk Hogan’s WCW debut against Ric Flair back in 1994. He’s attended multiple WWE shows over the years and even competed at WrestleMania 32 back in 2016.
Shaquille O’Neal played in the NBA for 19 season. He was an All-Star for 15 of those seasons and won 4 championships during his career. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016.
Cody lost the AEW TNT Championship to Brodie Lee this past Saturday night on AEW Dynamite. It was a stunning defeat that saw Cody wheeled out in a stretcher. We should get an update on Cody’s condition this Thursday on Dynamite.
Cody Rhodes is no longer the AEW TNT Champion as he was dethroned by Brodie Lee.
The title change occurred during Wednesday’s episode of AEW Dynamite on TNT. Lee beat Rhodes in dominating fashion, some people think it was a total squash to establish the new champion.
Lee went over in the main event. Post-match, Rhodes was stretchered out of the arena due to the damage that he suffered only to be attacked by members of the Dark Order.
The special edition of the weekly TV show from All Elite Wrestling aired on Saturday night due to TNT’s coverage of the NBA Playoffs.
Rhodes’ title reign as the AEW TNT Champion started at the AEW Double or Nothing pay-per-view event in Jacksonville, Florida at Daily’s Place, All Elite Wrestling booked a championship match between Rhodes and Lance Archer that served as the tournament finals.
Since that time, Rhodes had held weekly open challenges against all comers including Ricky Starks and Warhorse along with members of the AEW roster.
We have heard rumours of AEW’s interest in Goldberg a number of times. It has been said that AEW President Tony Khan is interested in bringing the WCW veteran to the company but Vice President Cody Rhodes is denying these claims.
One such claim was recently made by Jim Cornette who said on his podcast that Khan wanted the former Universal Champion to re-enact his legendary undefeated streak in AEW.
However, the current TNT champion responded to these claims from the wrestling veteran on Twitter and he claimed that his company has had no contact with Goldberg:
Even if AEW had interest in bringing the WCW veteran to the company, it wouldn’t be possible to sign him right now because Goldberg himself recently revealed that he is still under WWE contract.
The former World Champion revealed that he signed a three year deal with the company to stay with the promotion till 2022 and wrestle two matches each year.
Goldberg has already wrestled a couple of matches for the company this year so it’s not very likely that we will see him on WWE programming anytime soon but he should return to WWE TV down the line.
Cody Rhodes has been a big supporter of the AEW TNT Title, which is widely considered the secondary title for the promotion.
His support dates back to when the title was first announced even before he won it. Rhodes responded to a fan on Twitter where he noted that he doesn’t believe in midcard titles. He also thinks the person makes the belt and not the title making the titleholder.
The response came after a fan had asked, “Shouldn’t the world championship be more important than the TNT championship?”
He wrote, “Man/woman wearing any belt defines it, not the other way around. I don’t believe in “Mid card” titles.”
Another fan noted most believe the World Heavyweight Title should be the most important title.
Cody tweeted, “She’s a looker alright! My goal is to make it the most important and coveted belt of all time. (The walk from my office to the entrance tunnel on Wednesday was maybe my favorite bts moment ever. Stopped folks in their tracks)”
Cody successfully defended the title against Scorpio Sky on last Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite. As of this writing, Rhodes currently doesn’t have an opponent lined up for the AEW All Out PPV event.
She’s a looker alright!
My goal is to make it the most important and coveted belt of all time.
All Elite Wrestling’s TNT Champion Cody Rhodes has opened up about what the company looks when considering indie talent. During a sit-down interview with Tony Schiavone, held ahead of his championship match with Scorpio Sky, Cody also revealed when fans can expect to finally see the completed TNT Championship.
Cody Rhodes addressed how most of his Open Challenge opponents have been selected following online social media support from wrestlers. Cody has recently faced talents such as the recently signed Eddie Kingston and Warhorse in successful defenses. He noted that the finalized version of the TNT Championship will be debuted on tonight’s episode of AEW Dynamite.
When it comes to what the promotion seeks in its potential talent, Cody explained its process. He pointed to how AEW President Tony Khan and Arn Anderson have done a “really great job at looking at the overall landscape.”
He stressed that this is true regarding talent in AEW as well as those not currently signed.
“I think it has less to do with polished talent and pedigree and more to do with work. Those are the type of individuals I like to hang with, to work with, to train with and of course to compete with, Cody said. “I think that’s a big part of it – your ability to do the work. It went from a fun motto and hashtag but it’s applicable to everything especially in this era of wrestling on TV. Content is what matters.”
Cody explained how Tony Khan is an individual who has his “ear to the ground.”
He highlighted how Khan is a youthful person in management. This makes him more in tune with “what people want.”
Because of this approach, Cody Rhodes believes he’s been able to face some great opponents during his Open Challenge.
Cody Rhodes has given his first public thoughts about AEW losing a major supporter at WarnerMedia in Kevin Reilly.
News broke on Friday that Reilly is gone from the company. AEW President & CEO Tony Khan previously told the story about how he pitched the idea of bringing back wrestling to the TNT network when he and Reilly had a meeting at a party in Los Angeles.
Reilly was a big factor in AEW getting their TNT TV deal as he had worked as the Content Chief at WarnerMedia, and as the President of TNT, TBS and TruTV.
On Twitter, a fan asked Cody Rhodes if fans should be worried about the future of AEW since the recent shakeup.
He responded with, “No. We have been blessed to have had so many viewers(even opposed), thus the 3+ year extension. It’s a great partnership!”
Rhodes will be in action on this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite in Jacksonville, Florida at Daily’s Place on TNT. The live episode will see him defend the TNT Championship against Scorpio Sky.
AEW has still to name his opponent at the All Out pay-per-view event next month.
No. We have been blessed to have had so many viewers(even opposed), thus the 3+ year extension. It’s a great partnership!
Cody Rhodes addressed whether AEW has any interest in signing new talent to join their loaded roster.
Following the mass talent firings done by WWE back in April, there are several notable wrestlers on the free-agent market right now. While some talent such as EC3, Eric Young, Luke Gallows, and Karl Anderson have joined Impact Wrestling, there are other wrestlers who are still not under contract with any promotion.
That includes Rusev and Zack Ryder. These two stars have been spoken highly about by Rhodes. The AEW TNT Champion did an interview with ESPN where he discussed whether the promotion has any interest in signing them.
“I think there are two free agents that are on a lot of people’s radar, that being Miro — formerly Rusev — and Matt Cardona, who was Zack Ryder. Obviously, those free agents should be on any radar. They have literally drawn money. They have TV experience. They have high-profile experience. They have locker room experience. The pros heavily outweigh the cons.
Those are two great free agents. I’m not going to go as far to say that if I had to sign anybody, those would be the two that I would sign. But I think they’re great free agents. I think if they have the passion for pro wrestling, they’re going to continue to succeed.”
Rhodes continued by talking about how AEW only has a few hours of programming each week with a lot of their roster that hasn’t been fully seen by its fanbase. Thus, he wants to make sure that he honors their existing roster while considering bringing in other wrestlers.
Another talent who is on the free-agent market right now is Tessa Blanchard, a former Impact World Champion who recently departed from the company.
Rhodes stated that he doesn’t know about the current situation between Blanchard and Impact. He noted that this would be a decision left to be made by Kenny Omega, Brandi Rhodes, and Tony Khan, who oversee the women’s division.
“She was part of All In for us. And anyone who was part of All In has a place in my heart. On a personal level, I always want all the second- and third-generation wrestlers to have the best experience.”
He added that she’s talented and he is sure that is something that the three other executives have talked about.
Rhodes did acknowledge his respect for Rey Mysterio but knows that Mysterio is currently in talks with WWE for a new deal. Thus, he didn’t give much of a comment about him.
Responding to a fan via social media, Cody shared that the championship design will be completed on August 12. He also added how he has seen a video of the plates, describing them as being “very elegant.” He accompanied his comment with a diamond emoji.
The TNT Championship was first presented to Cody Rhodes following his Double of Nothing victory. He beat Lance Archer in the finals of the TNT Championship tournament that night to claim the belt. It would then be presented to him by boxing legend “Iron “Mike Tyson.
Debuting to a mixed reaction from fans, AEW commentators explained that the championship was, in fact, “incomplete” at that time. It was revealed how the production of the belt had unfortunately been delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Created by belt maker RED Leather for AEW, the company previously addressed the ‘in progress’ status of the championship:
“Unfortunately due to Covid-19 the platers I used are working on skeleton crews and can only work on respirators / emergency equipment. Once regular business resumes this belt will get some much needed highlights in nickel and gold as well as a relief TNT logo.”
Cody Rhodes is set to defend his TNT Championship this week on AEW Dynamite. He faces off against Warhorse.
All Elite Wrestling’s TNT Champion Cody Rhodes has responded to fan criticism regarding the promotion during a recent Q&A Session under the hashtag #AskCody.
When asked about AEW’s detractors and why they might find it so difficult to relax and enjoy wrestling without constantly comparing promotions and shows, Cody replied explained AEW’s show is still so new and unknown. He added how Dynamite is “aggressive in delivery and it’s marketing.”
He acknowledged how the Monday Night Wars that took place between WWE and WCW offers a template that people often revert to as a reference point. Cody added how “respectfully that ecosystem doesn’t fit ours. This is very new territory & it’s fan made.”
It’s new. It’s unknown. Its also very aggressive in delivery and it’s marketing.
I think the late 90s’ template for the current situation is the only reference people have sometimes, but respectfully that ecosystem doesn’t fit ours.
Cody On Providing An Alternative & Equal Entry Contracts
Cody Rhodes also responded to a fan who stressed how they wanted an alternative to WWE, not alternative WWE. The fan pointed at Marko Stunt as an example of how AEW’s product is embarrassing, to which Cody replied:
“Show is great man. It’s a 2hr gritty/atheltid/and often fun weekly presentation. Seems odd to form an opinion about the entire brand based on you disliking short people. Not the end of the world though man, you can’t please everybody and trying is the first step down.”
When challenged over the starting contract rates between male and female talents, Cody was quick to correct a fan who believed men were on a higher entry rate than the women. He explained how AEW’s “entry contracts are the same, regardless of gender. It’s 2020 man.” He added how AEW stressed the importance of this initiative at its first press conference, and how they’ve delivered on it ever since.
That’s already real bud. Entry contracts are the same, regardless of gender. It’s 2020 man. We told the world this at our first presser. Real now as it was then.
No. That’s a Nielsen statistic and a scapegoat one that post movers thrive on. It dismisses global penetration(major growth) and fiscal equity. We just signed an extension. Have more content coming to the network.
This is a wild ride and it’s not anything we’ve seen before.
Cody Rhodes says his character is neither a babyface nor a heel. There has been some debate about this as of late considering how many of his TNT title defenses have gone. There also may have been some hints dropped as of late that Cody’s character might be turning full heel somewhere down the road.
Cody responded to a recent comment by Disco Inferno on Twitter asking if he is a heel.
“Is Cody Rhodes a heel? This is like the old school angle where you have a list of worthy contenders and they are just a bunch of indy workers that don’t even work for the company,” Disco Tweeted.
Cody responded with the following:
“I’m neither. I’m a competitor & a reigning champion. Tired old tropes are even more insulting to the viewer considering I’ve been on their TV since I was 20. It ain’t black and white, it hasn’t been in forever. Circumstances of the match dictate who we cheer for, beautiful thing.”
Is Cody Rhodes a heel? This is like the old school angle where you have a list of worthy contenders and they are just a bunch of indy workers that don't even work for the company. #warhorse
Cody has defended the title 6x since winning it at Double or Nothing in May. He’s defeated Jungle Boy, Marq Quen, Ricky Starks, Jake Hager, Sonny Kiss, and now Eddie Kingston. He is scheduled to face Warhorse next week.
Eddie Kingston made his AEW debut on this week’s episode of Dynamite in Jacksonville, Florida at Daily’s Place on TNT. He did so by answering the open challenge set out by Cody Rhodes. This was the first bout on the card and was a No DQ Match.
Rhodes had a hard-fought battle against the promotional newcomer including a spot where he was thrown into thumb tacks. That resulted in him bleeding from his back.
In the end, Rhodes managed to lock in the figure four leg lock to score the win and successfully retain the TNT Title.
On Wednesday while doing an interview with Sports Illustrated, Rhodes had teased who could be the person to answer the open challenge.
“We need to always be aware of the world around us. One of the charming things about what we’ve been doing is we’ve been real and we’ve been transparent. Wrestling exists outside of AEW, we are aware of that. We try to be the best wrestling, and I really think we are, but there is great wrestling outside of us, too. It’s important for us to acknowledge that.”
The 38-year-old Kingston has been in the pro wrestling business since 2002. During that time, he has worked for various promotions such as Chikara, PWG, ROH, and even TNA.
He also found success while working for Evolve and the National Wrestling Alliance.
Cody Rhodes joined AEW President Tony Khan and Chris Jericho in talking about the ratings war between WWE NXT and AEW Dynamite every Wednesday night.
The AEW TNT Champion did so by talking with Alex McCarthy of talkSPORT. Rhodes made it clear that he tries to not worry about the ratings nor talk about it. Instead, he wants to focus on what AEW is doing and put on the best show possible.
“It’s really easy to get caught up in the weeds with like, ‘for X amount of weeks we beat WWE in the ratings’ or get into this wild demo discussion — if you ever catch me tweeting about the demos, please just delete my account. And it’s not wrong, I respect everyone that is bringing it up. I don’t make the ‘Top 50,’ that’s the thing.
People spam me and the management core — Showbuzz Daily, they make the ‘Top 50.’ We don’t make the lists. So, if we’re ahead of your favorite or your favorite shows, spam them! [Laughs] I don’t know what to tell you!”
Rhodes stated that the data comes out on Thursday’s and you can look at everything from minute-by-minute to when someone tuned out.
Thus, by looking at that data, you can ask yourself why people turned off the show, is it a pattern, and what went wrong. He stated that if you’re not drawing viewers, you have to at least address the problem.
Rhodes continued by talking about how that’s the one day it gets really analytical and looking into the data. He considers himself as someone who is creative, a competitor, and an artist so he looks at having the best show that gives fans emotion, creates memories, and brings them joy during this period.
CM Punk noticed a tweet from AEW TNT Champion Cody Rhodes so he decided to respond to it.
It happened on Monday afternoon when Rhodes asked fans about who they would like to see answer his next open challenge.
This led to Punk reacting to it in a joking way by bringing up people like former WWE star Domino with valet Cherry, “Fearless” Jack Bull, former HWA star Dean Visk, and former ECW wrestler New Jack.
Sign guy Domino w/ cherry Fearless Jack Bull Dean Visk New Jack
AEW President Tony Khan then commented on Punk’s response by recalling how he witnessed Punk work a house show that also featured Deuce & Domino. He wrote the following:
“Duly noted. Fun facts: I saw you on a house show in Champaign on Super Bowl Sunday 13.5 years ago with Domino and Cherry (and Deuce). Also, New Jack was really really nice to me when I was a 13 year old kid visiting Philadelphia. My dad loved New Jack.
Punk finds himself on the sidelines in the pro wrestling business as FOX Sports decided to cancel WWE Backstage, which Punk had been working on as a part-time analyst.
As of this writing, there’s been no reports about any interest from WWE about bringing him back.
All Elite Wrestling’s Cody Rhodes was a recent guest on SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio. During their conversation, he was asked about WWE using the Great American Bash name in association with its upcoming special two-week NXT event.
Cody admitted he wasn’t angry about it. He mused on how some people mistakenly think Dusty Rhodes simply named Starrcade and the Great American Bash. Cody argued how it goes beyond just devising an event name. Instead, “It’s a matter of booking them, of marketing them, of the creation.”
According to Cody, Dusty Rhodes once told him that Starrcade was for his sister and that Great American Bash was for him. For that reason, both events hold a special place for them. Cody noted how it doesn’t anger him in any way as it’s an excuse for people to once again talk about his father in a positive way.
Cody Rhodes On WWE’s Marketing Nostalgia Efforts
“The American Nightmare” likened WWE’s recent use of In Your House and Great American Bash to Disney’s nostalgia marketing strategies.
“The marketing of the event reminds me a lot of what Disney currently does. If you go to Disney World, they still sell Haunted Mansion shirts and they’re all done retro-style. They market nostalgia.”
He acknowledged how his sister found NXT’s sudden Great American Bash announcement strange. Cody then reflected on how the announcement seemed to be “willy nilly, last-minute, in the strangest of ways.”
Cody Rhodes pointed to WWE’s decision to utilize the Starrcade name for a WWE Live Event. He believes this decision diminished the name value of the event and was done because “they weren’t selling any tickets in North Carolina.” He shared his hope that WWE would instead do “something special” with Great American Bash.
NXT’s Great American Bash is a two-week special airing on USA Network. It competes head-to-head with AEW’s Fyter Fest on TNT. Both events begin tonight.
All Elite Wrestling’s Executive Vice President and in-ring talent Cody Rhodes has commented on the recent Sammy Guevara controversy that came to light. Guevara has been suspended from AEW without pay and will undergo sensitivity training after he came under fire for comments he made about Sasha Banks on a podcast back in 2016.
Responding to a fan on Twitter, Cody Rhodes addressed the situation after being asked to reinstate Guevara. The AEW TNT Champion stated:
“Sammy will return. And he will be a better professional wrestler, and a better man when he does.”
Sammy Guevara Apologizes
Since the clip of Guevara’s comments surfaced, the Inner Circle member released an apology video addressing his statements. He acknowledged that he has grown as a person over the past four years and would be taking a break from social media:
“I just want to apologize to anybody I let down, to Sasha, to anybody I hurt with my words.”
Guevara continued, “It just sucks cause 2016 me is not me today. 2020 me would never say those kind of hurtful things that I did in 2016. I used to think it was funny to do some kind of shock humor to pop the room I’m in. I thought it would be funny to do that kind of humour, shock humour and it’s not.”
He stated how some people may be dubious over his statement. For them, four years may not be that much time for genuine change. He argued that so much has happened in his life as wrestling allowed him to travel the world and grow as a person. Guevara stressed he now understands the words he says can have an impact on people. He promised to never joke or take sexual assault lightly again.
Sasha Banks would speak with Sammy Guevara about his words. She explained how the two had an open discussion. Banks stressed how “the comments he made, jokingly or not, have absolutely no place in our society!”
AEW TNT Champion Cody Rhodes has reacted to WWE’s recent announcement that NXT is reviving the Great American Bash to counter-program AEW Fyter Fest.
When a fan stated via Twitter that WWE should be giving Cody Rhodes’ mother a check for using the event name, Cody responded with a crying laughter emoji. The champ wrote, “it’s all good friend.”
Cody shared that he appreciated where the fan was coming from and noted that The Great American Bash means a lot to himself and his sister. That being said, he explained how he doesn’t own the IP and isn’t “holding much of a grudge on it.”
Instead, Cody Rhodes’ focus remains on AEW and their roster. He shared how he wants to continue “Making it fun, making it violent, making it memorable.”
Like AEW’s upcoming Fyter Fest, NXT’s Great American Bash is scheduled to be a two-week event. It takes place on 7/1 and 7/8. Both shows will be going head-to-head when they air on Wednesday night.
Cody Rhodes is scheduled to compete against Inner Circle member Jake Hager during Night One of Fyter Fest. Accompanied by Arn Anderson, Cody will attempt to defend his recently won AEW TNT Championship.
AEW star Shawn Spears recently appeared on the AEW Unrestricted podcast. The former Tye Dillinger discussed a number of topics from his career; including his recent feud with Cody Rhodes and comparing his television time between AEW and his former home of WWE.
“It’s funny, you get nicknamed ‘The Chairman’ and then you hit a guy once with a chair and then you never touch anybody else with a chair since then!” Shawn Spears laughed. “The moniker is funny but, you know, to that point? That moment created a lot of traction, a lot of buzz both positively and negatively.”
Shawn Spears on ‘The Chair Shot’
The now infamous chair shot took place at Fyter Fest 2019. Shawn Spears appeared and lamped Cody Rhodes over the head; the chair shot was unprotected and it caused a lot of negative press for the upstart AEW promotion at the time.
“Here’s the thing with Cody, you know the history between us is pretty well documented. Qe go back a very very long way” Shawn Spears continued on the show.
“That guy is never going to half ass anything. No, if you put them on top of the cage? He’s going to Moonsault off. If you hit him in the head with a chair? I say ‘man look, get a hand up’ he’s going to go ‘No!’ He’s going to say ‘swing for the fences.'”
Cody Rhodes
Spears would elaborate further, saying “as performers? We have the same mentality, you’ll see him state a lot publicly, when he says that he’s going to outwork you. When he says he’s going to out dog you. When he says he’s going to outperform you? He means it. Whatever he may not understand is, I’m that guy too.”
Do you want to see the feud continue between Shawn Spears and Cody Rhodes? Let us know in the comments
Cody Rhodes has announced an ‘open challenge’ that will see him defend the new TNT Championship each week on AEW Dynamite.
The first challenger to the TNT Championship actually circumvents the Open Challenge stipulation. During Wednesday’s episode of AEW Dynamite, Jungle Boy won a Battle Royal to earn a shot at the TNT title next week (June 3rd).
The final four participants in the Battle Royal were Jungle Boy, MJF, Wardlow, and Orange Cassidy. You can see footage from the Battle Royal here:
TNT Championship Open Challenge
The Open Challenge format creates some very interesting scenarios for the TNT Championship. Instantly, the belt has something unique that sets it apart from the AEW World Championship. It presents Cody as a ‘fighting champion’ and establishes the TNT title as a ‘workhorse’ belt that is defended frequently on television.
The Open Challenge format also presents the scenario of mystery opponents each week. Former WWE Superstar Zack Ryder, for instance, took notice.
Rhodes just became the inaugural AEW TNT Champion when he beat Lance Archer in the tournament finals at the AEW Double or Nothing pay-per-view event on Saturday night. Boxing legend Mike Tyson presented the championship.
Fan reactions to the title’s design were mixed after it was presented by Tyson. Tony Schiavone had mentioned on the broadcast that due to the pandemic, the title wasn’t actually finished yet.
It’s a simple title belt design with a red strap and silver plates. The center plate has TNT in the middle while the side plates have a house on it, which is actually a replication of Ted Turners’ mansion.
The inaugural AEW TNT Champion has been crowned and it’s Cody Rhodes.
At the AEW Double or Nothing pay-per-view event in Jacksonville, Florida at Daily’s Place, All Elite Wrestling booked this championship match between Rhodes and Lance Archer that served as the tournament finals.
Archer controlled the first half of the contest. At one point due to outside interference, Arn Anderson, the coach of Rhodes, was tossed from ringside. Mike Tyson, who was there to present the title to the winner, scared off Jake Roberts, the manager of Archer, after Roberts teased bringing a snake into the ring.
The finish saw Cody hit Cross Rhodes twice for the win.
The eight-man tournament was announced on March 30, 2020 and kicked off on the April 8th episode of Dynamite to crown its inaugural TNT Champion.
Kip Sabian vs. Dustin Rhodes and Lance Archer vs. Colt Cabana was booked for the right side of the bracket while on the left side feared Cody vs. Shawn Spears and Darby Allin vs. Sammy Guevara.
The semi-finals of the tournament took place on the April 29th episode of Dynamite. The pair of matches saw Rhodes vs. Allin and Rhodes against Archer.
As seen on the show, Cody went over Allin in the opening match while Archer beat Rhodes in the main event.
AEW Executive Vice President Cody took part in a media briefing Thursday afternoon to promote Saturday’s Double or Nothing pay-per-view.
Cody faces Lance Archer at the show to crown the first-ever AEW TNT Champion.
Here are some highlights and full audio from the ~45-minute call:
It has been an honor to continue working during the COVID-19 pandemic. He takes a lot of pride in providing a ‘bright spot’ for fans during this difficult time.
The final card for AEW Double or Nothing is approximately 90% of what they had planned back in March before the world changed. Not a lot changed on the creative side as a result of COVID-19.
What is Cody’s mindset, as a performer and an EVP, going into the second annual Double or Nothing? Cody said his mindset heading into the second year of AEW is self awareness. They are all evolving. The mindset is to continue making Double or Nothing destination programming. Without live crowds, there is less instant feedback.
Cody said it’s an honor to be in the finals of the TNT Championship tournament. Cody said Warner/Turner requested the creation of the belt, which he thinks might be a first.
He ran down the card again, touting the selling points for each match. Cody said he’s particularly looking forward to MJF vs. Jungle Boy. Said they remind him of a young Steve Austin and Dustin Rhodes, in that they are young guys vying to be the next big thing.
He loves the challenge of their current working environment. It can be a nightmare for the athletes, but they’re “sharpened their swords” and are becoming even more well-rounded performers.
They don’t yet know what rules will govern the TNT Championship. It might be a workhorse title, it might have certain stipulations about how often it will be defended. “We’ll see how it goes.” Cody has not even seen the belt.
When asked about what it’s been like working at Daily’s Place the past few weeks, Cody loves the venue. “There are a lot of tools in the sandbox.” He’s enjoyed the sunsets and the wind that are present in the open-air amphitheater. They have a lot of contingencies in place when the rest of the country opens up. If they wrestled at Daily’s Place for the foreseeable future, he’d have no problem with that.
The current plan is to stay in one spot, Jacksonville, for their tapings, even if other states allow sports events without crowds. This minimizes health risks and is easier all-around. Cody said there are other decision makers who have input over this, but that’s his preference.
Has AEW had to make any adjustments during the COVID-19 pandemic that he can see carrying over once things get back to normal? Cody says he can see handshakes behind the scenes going away. The locker room is like a brotherhood and they take each others lives into their hands. It’s customary to shake hands and thank your opponent for your match and keeping you safe. That might be a thing of the past.
They have been very fortunate to have nobody test positive COVID-19.
Are there any advantages/positives to having shows without fans in attendance? The overlying advantage is that you’re really tested as a performer and a competitor. Aside from that, they miss the fans dearly. Every aspect of a really good wrestling match plays off the crowd.
Regarding Mike Tyson’s involvement, Cody said he was at last year’s Double or Nothing. Over the course of the last year, Tyson has become a ‘hardcore’ AEW fan. Mike Tyson presenting the TNT Championship this Saturday night was one of the last creative elements they finalized for the show.
Will we see the TNT Championship belt before Saturday night? There has been talk of the belt being seen before the pay-per-view, but his personal preference is for us to see it live for the first time at the show.
When asked about who he sees as the next breakout star in AEW, Cody named MJF, as much as he doesn’t like Max as a person. He also named Sammy Guevara as an incredibly special talent, as well as Hikaru Shida and Wardlow.
Cody said that having wrestlers and staff sitting at ringside has helped a great deal with the overall ambiance of the show. The last thing you ever want is silence.
Cody reiterated that all of the scheduled shows from the past couple months have been postponed, not canceled. Their plans to tour internationally might be delayed, but they will get there.
Is “Broken” Matt Hardy an official member of The Elite? “Matt Hardy is wonderful,” he began. Last night at Dynamite, Matt was talking to the younger talent and he loved to see the veteran taking the young guys under his wing. As for The Elite, Cody said The Elite is the original. The OG’s. The Elite is Kenny Omega, Matt & Nick Jackson. Then there’s the ‘expanded universe’ of the Elite, which includes himself Hangman Page, Marty Scurll and Matt Hardy, to his estimation. At the end of the day, Kenny and the Bucks decide who is considered Elite.
Order AEW Double or Nothing now at BR Live (US) and FITE.TV (International).
Arn Anderson is currently Cody Rhodes’ manager in AEW. Double-A has a long history with the Rhodes family including working backstage in WWE while both Cody and his older brother Dustin were on the active roster. In 2014, Cody debuted the “Stardust” gimmick with WWE. Anderson recently commented on the gimmick during an episode of “the Arn Show.”
“I didn’t dislike it from the fact that the costuming and Cody looked good in that character. I know that every time I dealt with Cody from day one he would give you the best he could,” Anderson said. “And I know that there should be some good things happening for him in the business because his attitude was good, his ability was good, straight away.”
“They put this character on him, I didn’t know how strongly he was against it until later,” Arn continued. “I thought he did a good job with it and he looked good in the costuming and the whole deal but there was no plan past that.”
Arn then said what he couldn’t figure out was that the new gimmick wasn’t meant to elevate Cody up the card.
“When they change you and change your character and you just stay at a level-push, you don’t go anywhere with that then what was the reason to change you?” Arn asked. “If there were no positive plans to elevate you and that is what I couldn’t figure out.”
Former WWE Superstar Heath Slater has responded to All Elite Wrestling’s Cody Rhodes recent comments. Having been released from WWE, Cody was asked during a Q&A Session if the promotion had any interest in hiring Slater. His response was to the point: “No to Heath.” It’s a response that Slater believes is a “bad business decision.”
Speaking with Chris Van Vliet, Heath Slater recalled how he discovered Cody’s comments two days after the Q&A. One of his friends sent it to him bringing it to his attention.
“Me and Cody have never had harsh words or nothing you know? We never disliked each other, but I know how Cody is. When he said it I was like ‘he’s either serious,’ which he very well could be who even knows? Or ‘he wants me to react.’”
Heath Slater shared how Cody knows he isn’t one to keep quiet. Instead, he’ll be open about how he feels about any given situation. He referred to Cody’s words as a head scratcher: “[…] it’s one of those things where I’m like ‘you didn’t even scratch your head and think about it?’”
Heath Slater stressed how the reality of his experience is that he is a 14 year veteran in pro wrestling. He added how he has “wrestled everyone underneath the sun.” His argument indicated that his wealth of experience would be something AEW could benefit from.
Now that Heath Slater is no longer associated with WWE, he is excited to be able to show “what I want, and do what I want. Bad business decision [by Cody]? Hell yes.”
All Elite Wrestling’s Cody Rhodes has recalled a few rejected gimmicks he had pitched during his time in WWE. Speaking with The Dan Le Batard Show, Cody shared details about two ideas he had worked on with his father, Dusty Rhodes. Both concepts were ultimately shot down.
Cody recalled how, prior to leaving WWE, he went through a phase of going to the WWE Performance Center. He explained how he had been working on different projects with Dusty at the time, noting he was blessed he got the chance to do so. He noted how “none of them got green lit” before revealing how one was based on Iron Man’s Tony Stark. The gimmick would have seen Cody act as a “prince in the industry, the opposite of the common man which Dusty was.”
Another idea saw Cody Rhodes‘ Stardust character accompanied by a hairless cat. He recalled how Dusty was once trying to produce a promo with him as he held a hairless cat adorned with makeup and glitter.
“At the end, everything I flew against the wall didn’t stick, which the ultimate answer of that was why don’t I try being myself and see if that sells any tickets. And that’s where I’ve been fortunate and blessed enough to have the most success.”
Cody Rhodes is set to compete this Wednesday night on Dynamite. He will be participating in the finals of the TNT Championship Tournament. He faces off against Lance Archer to determine who will be the inaugural TNT Champion.
All Elite Wrestling’s Cody Rhodes has opened up about why the TNT Championship belt is so important to him. Speaking with AEW announcer Tony Schiavone, Cody also broached the topic of retirement and what he wants to accomplish with his future in pro wrestling.
Having successfully made his way to the finals of the TNT Championship Tournament, Cody Rhodes is set to face off for the belt against Lance Archer. He stressed how his personal standards are “pretty lofty,” especially when juxtaposing his accomplishments with his father, Dusty Rhodes. He added how being a second or third-generation wrestler immediately sets a high standard that is based on what was “laid before you.” It’s an expectation that could be met with a championship victory.
“I mean, he [Dusty] really had a significant chunk of wrestling’s total legacy,” Cody Rhodes said. “I don’t do this to be anything other than the greatest. Anything other than the absolute best. That sounds ridiculous, but I really still believe in dreams. And you get better every day. Every day since I started, which is really 15 years old since I started, I’ve tried to be a better wrestler the next day.”
Cody Rhodes’ Retirement Plans
Regarding his future in the business, Cody Rhodes confessed how he intended to only wrestle until he turned 40. He turns 36 this June. He admitted that he no longer knows if that initial retirement date will hold true. Cody stressed how he wants to make sure that two people never have to work: his wife and his mother.
He acknowledged how his wife, Brandi, will choose to work every day as that’s who she is. According to Cody, his mother, “refuses to acknowledge that I’m still trying to do everything I can to take care of her.” To him, however, it’s important that they both know that he not only did it, but he did it in wrestling.
Cody Rhodes will face Lance Archer for the TNT Championship at AEW’s next pay-per-view, Double or Nothing, on Saturday, May 23.
All Elite Wrestling’s Cody Rhodes has addressed the idea of the promotion signing recently released WWE Superstar Zack Ryder. Taking part in a Q&A session via Instagram, Cody was asked whether fans could expect to see Ryder show up in AEW in the future. Although he clearly holds Ryder in high regard, Cody stressed how he didn’t want the company to become “All Friends Wrestling.”
Cody Rhodes noted how Ryder is the best and has managed to earn a broad social media following across Twitter and Instagram. “Very broad influence, incredibly famous, more famous than many guys out there. But that doesn’t always translate.” He noted how the biggest hurdle Ryder will face will be their pre-existing friendship.
“The American Nightmare” shared how Ryder is one of his really close friends in wrestling. He noted how Ryder may be his “only friend” in wrestling. Cody then stressed AEW can’t just be “All Friends Wrestling.”
“You have to handle it the best way,” Cody Rhodes explained. “If you put on the Nightmare Family jacket, you’ve got a massive bullseye on your back, just in the locker room alone. It’s a total heat seeker. But I’m looking forward to what he does next. He’ll turn a lot of heads. I think and hope our paths will cross down the road. He’s just entering wrestler prime. Men’s wrestler prime is 35 to 40.”
When Ryder was first released, Cody Rhodes uploaded an honest, emotional response to the news. He stressed how Ryder’s best days are “ahead of him” and that he believes he will succeed, wherever he ends up.