Cobra Commander Posted February 15, 2022 Share Posted February 15, 2022 So this is a slightly different spot from the WWE thinking highly of Bobby Lashley early on but they also took 10 years to bring him back after he had multiple TNA/Impact stints and a non-UFC MMA career? Theres some precedent that if you want a higher spot in the WWE, you have to leave the WWE. I’m guessing Wipeout and Go Big Show tape in different places, right? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted February 15, 2022 Share Posted February 15, 2022 The Nightmare Factory is co-owned/run by Cody and QT together right? QT is basically Tony Khan's Fink or Bruce. Booking assistant, office guy, has a hand in everything. I think he's in too deep. A lot of the young talent are Factory trainees. Curious how all that'll work. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John from Cincinnati Posted February 15, 2022 Share Posted February 15, 2022 10 minutes ago, nofuture said: Vince never saw Cody as a main eventer, I don't think he's going to magically change his mind nowadays. That was before Cody became a tone-deaf white-meat America-loving guy who gets confusing but heightened crowd reactions. 2 2 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nofuture Posted February 15, 2022 Share Posted February 15, 2022 But it even took Lashley about two year back in WWE to finally get that main event push. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted February 15, 2022 Share Posted February 15, 2022 They could have brought Morrison back as a main eventer, no question. They needed main eventers. At the point of the signing, he seemed like a great opponent for Reigns even. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John from Cincinnati Posted February 15, 2022 Share Posted February 15, 2022 A rational person could see Cody as someone who could serve as an example of how big acquisitions from AEW will be treated fairly and used well and in good faith. Unclear how many rational people are in the mix. At the very least, I understand a main event guy recently lost his Mania opponent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jimbo_Tsuruta Posted February 15, 2022 Share Posted February 15, 2022 Maybe a work so Cody can return as one of the boys and challenge Page for the belt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spontaneous Posted February 15, 2022 Share Posted February 15, 2022 (edited) I hope Veer debuts and Cody comes out, squashes him like Joe devouring Dan Matha. I'd watch it on Twitter the next day. Edited February 15, 2022 by Spontaneous Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SturmCRF Posted February 15, 2022 Share Posted February 15, 2022 Wait, we could all be missing the big story here. Didn't Cody have a hand in training Hook? If Hook leaves AEW that could be curtains for them. 1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig H Posted February 15, 2022 Share Posted February 15, 2022 24 minutes ago, Zakk_Sabbath said: If this ends up not being a work, part of me wonders if TK may have put his foot down about Brandi being on TV after that very confusing Lambert segment a few weeks back, thus driving the decision to leave. Again, a lot of ifs. All of his talk about doing a storyline that has never been done before makes me think this is part of a work, but realistically, if all of these other factors like press releases and lawyers are coming into play, it's not a work. In addition to the Brandi stuff, and again, she is legit maybe the worst thing I've seen on TV since the worst of TNA or the worst of WWE in the last few years, maybe Cody's big time story idea ran into a brick wall with Tony. Outside of Cody's first year and a half, it has all been diminishing returns with that guy and he's gotten weirder and weirder. Most of his storylines downright sucked. The Codyverse was maybe the worst part of AEW. 14 minutes ago, nofuture said: Vince never saw Cody as a main eventer, I don't think he's going to magically change his mind nowadays. Even if Cody comes in, I don't think you'd see him past an IC level guy and most likely him and Brandi feuding against Miz and Maryse. And this is where I want to clarify my statement that Cody is a fucking idiot. He is an idiot if he's going back to WWE. This dude isn't going to make Roman money. Hell, he's probably not even going to make Kevin Owens money. I would be surprised if he's even at the bottom of top earners in WWE. You also have to look at how creatively stifled literally everything in WWE is. Cody left because of how stifled he was. Going back would be some real carny shit showing he truly is his father's son. Then take a look at how Jeff Hardy or John Morrison or most others who have come back to WWE have been booked. Maybe the best example is Lashley, and again, it feels like a miracle he's in the position he's in. It took a pandemic, putting him together with MVP and others to form the Hurt Business, that one cool moment they had during the hilariously bad Undergound, confronting the even worse WWE Antifa, and then they fucking broke up the Hurt Business. Somehow, someway, Lashley made it to the top of the card maybe more out of necessity than anything else. Look at how that guy started though. Remember that fucking awful feud with Sami Zayn? If he goes back to WWE, best case scenario is he winds up being Owens opponent instead of Austin because that Austin thing sounds so far fetched. With the amount of talent that is out there, I think Cody would be better served to start a third national company (I still feel like I can't quite count Impact as a national company these days). It would take finding a money mark and TK feels like a unicorn in terms of wrestling company owners. I wouldn't say the dude is a money mark at all. He has the money and is more or less playing out EWR in real life. I just don't think there's anyone else out like that that exists. The GCW stuff with Cardona also sounds like a good idea. GCW has grown so much in popularity lately that I wonder if they're on the verge of growing even more. This whole situation is very weird and I'm curious to see what Cody and Brandi will have to say about all of it in the coming days. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPPA Posted February 15, 2022 Author Share Posted February 15, 2022 3 minutes ago, Craig H said: And this is where I want to clarify my statement that Cody is a fucking idiot. He is an idiot if he's going back to WWE. This dude isn't going to make Roman money. Hell, he's probably not even going to make Kevin Owens money. For what its worth - Meltzer absolutely thinks Cody is getting offered the same (if not more) that KO and Sami just got And that isn't factoring in a multi-million dollar pay day from the Saudis (especially if he debuts at EC) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Dave Posted February 15, 2022 Share Posted February 15, 2022 If it’s real, it kinda stinks that the EVP that actively shits up aew’s product the least is leaving. I don’t see this as a negative for AEW, however. Their roster and product outgrew Cody. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dog Posted February 15, 2022 Share Posted February 15, 2022 GODDAMNIT BRANDI IT'S "FLIPPITY FLIP" JESUS 1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chriskbrown50 Posted February 15, 2022 Share Posted February 15, 2022 Well many like me wonder what happen when a big name left AEW - a founding EVP with a reality show and game show on the Turner networks is pretty much big. in the US market, Cody Rhodes has name value with AEW. Must have been some really interesting set of discussions, and TK has some sense of Cody's value to AEW that differs with Cody's view. Curious to see what they do with Cody's reality show which I expect is primarily in the can; the synergy between AEW and his other shows should really be fun to watch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jimbo_Tsuruta Posted February 15, 2022 Share Posted February 15, 2022 3 minutes ago, just drew said: If it’s real, it kinda stinks that the EVP that actively shits up aew’s product the least is leaving. I don’t see this as a negative for AEW, however. Their roster and product outgrew Cody. I'm no Omega mark but I have enjoyed heel Kenny more than Cody for the most part. There are quite a few potential matchups I'd rather Omega had than Rhodes. Annoyed that we may not get Cody flipping out and attacking Arn to lead to a rematch with Dustin, but then this may all just be a work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Log Posted February 15, 2022 Share Posted February 15, 2022 Honestly, is anyone other than @John from Cincinnatituning in to AEW to see Cody or Brandi at this point? Is there anything to show that their reality show drew any new viewers? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hagan Posted February 15, 2022 Share Posted February 15, 2022 Let's be honest, the worst thing about Cody leaving is gonna be all the bad faith takes from the usual idiots on how Tony Khan is running his company into the ground. Expect a lot of "too busy signing people like Keith Lee instead of focusing on the real stars like Cody" from the co-opted WWE nitwits. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Infinit Posted February 15, 2022 Share Posted February 15, 2022 47 minutes ago, Matt D said: The Nightmare Factory is co-owned/run by Cody and QT together right? QT is basically Tony Khan's Fink or Bruce. Booking assistant, office guy, has a hand in everything. I think he's in too deep. A lot of the young talent are Factory trainees. Curious how all that'll work. This is what I was wondering. Which of the young talent are "Cody people"? And do any of them follow Cody? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niners Fan in CT Posted February 15, 2022 Share Posted February 15, 2022 Movement's great for performers AND fans. We now have two feds that people can go to and stay fresh.. Everyone should be happy. The sport needs free agency. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryArchieGus Posted February 15, 2022 Share Posted February 15, 2022 6 minutes ago, Log said: Honestly, is anyone other than @John from Cincinnatituning in to AEW to see Cody or Brandi at this point? Is there anything to show that their reality show drew any new viewers? I legitmately like Cody Rhodes. I won't suggest there hasn't been some misfires, but I have a great deal of admiration and respect for his many contributions in front of and behind the camera. The Sammy bout and his divisive pre-match interview were way up there in my favorite segments thus far this year. This whole situation is so interesting and I'm very much looking forward to further details. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krone Posted February 15, 2022 Share Posted February 15, 2022 It's just amazing to me that Cody would leave AEW right now of all times. I say that because WWE has been getting lambasted and crucified for the better part of the last year for releasing all those people during the pandemic coupled with the other drama that goes on over there. The company that you helped found has finally gained some traction with the giant arrivals of CM Punk, Bryan Danielson, Adam Cole, and now Keith Lee. Now is the time you think it's best to jump ship and go back to the WWE? I understand money and all that jazz - but like someone pointed out - the whole reason he left WWE was because of their creative process. Being stuck as "Stardust" and having no say about it. Him going back to the WWE seems like it would go against everything that he said (great heel move I guess?) from the beginning. It just seems so odd. If you would've said MJF, Wardlow, Ricky Starks, ect. I would've bought into it with a ton of stock and "understood". But this is the guy who basically LED the charge AGAINST the WWE from day one. Breaking the throne, the Pedigree teases, the WWE shade that has been tossed more than once or twice. If this is because of Brandi, I'm not even sure what to say. Did she expect to be the crowned jewel (lol) of their womens division? There's no way that Brandi has THAT MUCH of an ego... right? RIGHT?! IF this is true, I do feel AEW is losing one of their pillars. A foundation. Somebody that represents what AEW is much like someone like RVD did for ECW. Will the promotion go on? Of course it will, but I do think this would be a big loss for the promotion and am honestly surprised TK didn't do whatever he could to keep Cody to prevent these possible bad optics. it's gotta be a work, right? 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hagan Posted February 15, 2022 Share Posted February 15, 2022 I get the speculation on the Nightmare Factory but look at who the WWE is signing for NXT and look at the majority of men and women coming out of the Nightmare Factory. Unless Cody and QT start pumping out former UGA football players and bikini models I think that's not an issue. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Infinit Posted February 15, 2022 Share Posted February 15, 2022 2 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John from Cincinnati Posted February 15, 2022 Share Posted February 15, 2022 Wherever Cody lands, hope he gets it in writing that he won't turn heel. 1 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Faulconer Posted February 15, 2022 Share Posted February 15, 2022 So Cody really was this confused. It wasn't an angle. It didn't give his character depth. His last promo before the ladder match was his send off even if he didn't know it quite then. He's a guy who as time went on seemed to lose more and more of a grip on what he was doing as a character in AEW. Last year was almost a complete write off for Cody. He went through fire and burned his flesh for nothing! He must feel like a man was losing his mind at how he was accepted or not accepted by the fans. He could eventually turn those fans during the course of one speech though. If only it was Jericho leaving...Neither guy had good ideas. Both had absurdly long intros. Cody at least didn't force everyone to sing his stupid song. He never brought an army of MMA guys in to go over in a feud. Cody is such a scatterbrain. Brandi won't be in the women's division anymore. That is a good thing. She wasn't the worst but she was too big of a personality with too little talent to warrant an earned push with the important ladies. She was a great manager and host of shows dealing with alcohol. People probably always say this but Cody's flakiness and inconsistent tone in everything he did should have been warning signs that this would eventually happen. He is so much better than Jericho. Why did it have to be him??? Whyyyyy???? 5 1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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