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2022 WRESTLERS LEAVING COMPANIES THREAD (Releases, FAs, etc...)

RIPPA

By RIPPA
in The PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING

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JLowe

JLowe

Posted
Posted
7 minutes ago, Gordlow said:

 

That's s good counterpoint!

But...

You may recall an isolated asshole fan trying to start a "What?" chant during an emotional ( Kingston? Mox? Punk?) promo on a recent episode of AEW TV and getting shut down immediately while receiving ZERO apparent support from anyone else in the crowd.

I can recall Jericho successfully asking the crowd to stop with WWE-reference chants as "bad ideas from bad creative" and I am pleasantly surprised by how easily Bryan kept an "AEW Yes Movement" from becoming a thing that grew out of control.

 I won't even pretend to argue that there aren't asshole wrestling fans. Obviously in any large gathering of human beings there are going to be at least a few assholes.

I might, however, try to argue that the assholes certainly don't seem to be the majority any more... at least not in AEW crowds. 

Not sure what the ratio might be for a WM weekend crowd in Texas.

To be fair, the ratio of assholes to regular people is higher than average in Texas.

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The Natural

The Natural

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, Gordlow said:

 

That's s good counterpoint!

But...

You may recall an isolated asshole fan trying to start a "What?" chant during an emotional ( Kingston? Mox? Punk?) promo on a recent episode of AEW TV and getting shut down immediately while receiving ZERO apparent support from anyone else in the crowd.

I can recall Jericho successfully asking the crowd to stop with WWE-reference chants as "bad ideas from bad creative" and I am pleasantly surprised by how easily Bryan kept an "AEW Yes Movement" from becoming a thing that grew out of control.

 I won't even pretend to argue that there aren't asshole wrestling fans. Obviously in any large gathering of human beings there are going to be at least a few assholes.

I might, however, try to argue that the assholes certainly don't seem to be the majority any more... at least not in AEW crowds. 

Not sure what the ratio might be for a WM weekend crowd in Texas.

Eddie Kingston on the post AEW Revolution 2022 Dynamite with Chris Jericho. Kingston called the jackass on it and it didn't happen again. Agree with the rest of your post as well.

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John from Cincinnati

John from Cincinnati

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, Gordlow said:

I might, however, try to argue that the assholes certainly don't seem to be the majority any more... at least not in AEW crowds. 

Not sure what the ratio might be for a WM weekend crowd in Texas.

I'd counter that one group of assholes is just more willing to play along, but I worry some people engaging with that idea might feel attacked. 

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TheVileOne

TheVileOne

Posted
Posted (edited)

I don't begrudge Cody for going into business for himself and trying to make as much money as he can as long as he can. That's what he should be doing. I begrudge him for all the trolling BS. The lyrics on his theme song aren't even subtle. He got a stupid neck tattoo that no one likes except him. 

He made himself into AEW's Jeff Jarrett. As Kenny Omega said, no one cared more about making it AEW vs. WWE than Cody Rhodes. That was his schtick.

On the other hand, Roman Reigns has basically no opponents left in WWE. So he could be a fresh new opponent for Roman at this point. There's literally no one left for Roman to beat. Bron Breakker isn't ready yet. There's really no one left in NXT to call up who can be a good new opponent, other than maybe Tommaso Ciampa. 

Edited by TheVileOne
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paintedbynumbers

paintedbynumbers

Posted
Posted
16 hours ago, NoFistsJustFlips said:

Meh. Call it selling out if you want, but the correct term is cashing in.

The wrestling business is a... business. Always weird to me when fans turn on a guy for doing what he's supposed to be doing. Making money. I would have preferred if he stayed in AEW because I liked the narrative of him betting on himself and trying to live up to his father by being more than just the wrestler. But that's all just a narrative. None of it's true. He didn't own AEW. Not even a piece of it. He is a businessman trying to make the most money possible. Good on him for cashing in.

You sold out is about the dumbest thing anyone could ever chant at a wrestler. EC-dub chants didn't buy Taz a house, but that WWE money sure did. I loved ECW. But this idea that wrestlers are supposed to destroy their bodies for "the love of the game" and not piles and piles of cash is pretttttttty antiquated.

In most cases yes you are right the "You Sold Out chants" are wrong.

 

However, when you make it part of your character to openly bash WWE and then end up signing with them months later..... Yeah, either he sold out or his mind changes to fit the narrative, or he had no power at all and was doing what Tony told him to do.  Not many viable options 

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paintedbynumbers

paintedbynumbers

Posted
Posted
17 hours ago, NoFistsJustFlips said:

Meh. Call it selling out if you want, but the correct term is cashing in.

The wrestling business is a... business. Always weird to me when fans turn on a guy for doing what he's supposed to be doing. Making money. I would have preferred if he stayed in AEW because I liked the narrative of him betting on himself and trying to live up to his father by being more than just the wrestler. But that's all just a narrative. None of it's true. He didn't own AEW. Not even a piece of it. He is a businessman trying to make the most money possible. Good on him for cashing in.

You sold out is about the dumbest thing anyone could ever chant at a wrestler. EC-dub chants didn't buy Taz a house, but that WWE money sure did. I loved ECW. But this idea that wrestlers are supposed to destroy their bodies for "the love of the game" and not piles and piles of cash is pretttttttty antiquated.

I do like your Taz example. Spot on. 

Also,

I've always said you can't fault someone if a company is going to throw them truck loads of money.  Brock Lesnar being the best example. He left UFC, is making bank in WWE, and not destroying his body.  All we hear is how Tony has more money than Vince. If he wanted he probably could have matched the offer or beat the offer.  Cody absolutely sold out all of his "values" to go back to WWE.  Hell, I might be wrong, he might have a huge creative clause in his contract but it's doubtful., Vince knows the other guys won't go for that. It will be very interesting to see how this all plays out.  

Smoke and mirrors theme or we riot! 

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Technico Support

Technico Support

Posted
Posted
17 hours ago, NoFistsJustFlips said:

Meh. Call it selling out if you want, but the correct term is cashing in.

The wrestling business is a... business. Always weird to me when fans turn on a guy for doing what he's supposed to be doing. Making money. I would have preferred if he stayed in AEW because I liked the narrative of him betting on himself and trying to live up to his father by being more than just the wrestler. But that's all just a narrative. None of it's true. He didn't own AEW. Not even a piece of it. He is a businessman trying to make the most money possible. Good on him for cashing in.

You sold out is about the dumbest thing anyone could ever chant at a wrestler. EC-dub chants didn't buy Taz a house, but that WWE money sure did. I loved ECW. But this idea that wrestlers are supposed to destroy their bodies for "the love of the game" and not piles and piles of cash is pretttttttty antiquated.

I believe "selling out" exists.  It happens when you forsake something you believe in for money.  But I also believe Cody didn't "sell out" because all the stuff he's been telling us he believed since leaving WWE was a con.  I'm glad he signed with WWE because he represented the type of old school carny con artist bullshit I'd rather not have to watch in AEW. They're doing fine without him.

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mystman

mystman

Posted
Posted (edited)

Look, I don't want to get into a big argument over this, and I'm not a Cody apologist. But could someone tell me what he was supposed to do? He obviously wasn't happy in AEW. ROH just got bought by them. TNA, NWA, and New Japan all have some working relationship with them. Where was he going to go? MLW? CYN?  Hell he can't even go to DDT now. Is he just supposed to quit wrestling, or work somewhere he wasn't happy? 

Edited by mystman
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paintedbynumbers

paintedbynumbers

Posted
Posted
10 minutes ago, mystman said:

Look, I don't want to get into a big argument over this, and I'm not a Cody apologist. But could someone tell me what he was supposed to do? He obviously wasn't happy in AEW. ROH just got bought by them. TNA, NWA, and New Japan all have some working relationship with them. Where was he going to go? MLW? CYN?  Hell he can't even go to DDT now. Is he just supposed to quit wrestling, or work somewhere he wasn't happy? 

all well in good, this is why you don't burn bridges. Or make it look to the fans that you actively despise the competition if you really don't.  He is either a sell out or phony. Take your pick.

Nobody forced him to do the over the top entrances with the sledge hammer, the false pedigrees, the theme song lyrics.   It's different if someone like Omega or the Bucks left because they never really went out of their way to bury the competition only to come running to them the minute he was "unhappy"  

Had Cody not gone out of his way to bash WWE any chance he had (and hell he created the chances himself) I would have 0 issue with him leaving if he isn't happy. I left my last job not because of money but because I don't want to work with assholes. I told the company owner that very sentence the day I left.  I wasn't happy I left.  If I am not happy now I won't go back to the former company even if they offered me 7 figures. It wouldn't happen.  If Cody wasn't happy at AEW he is damn fortunate WWE took him back after the stuff he pulled.  Imagine if they didn't where would he go?  

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Kropotkin's Beard

Kropotkin's Beard

Posted
Posted (edited)
16 minutes ago, mystman said:

Look, I don't want to get into a big argument over this, and I'm not a Cody apologist. But could someone tell me what he was supposed to do? He obviously wasn't happy in AEW. ROH just got bought by them. TNA, NWA, and New Japan all have some working relationship with them. Where was he going to go? MLW? CYN?  Hell he can't even go to DDT now. Is he just supposed to quit wrestling, or work somewhere he wasn't happy? 

Cody Rhodes, Big Japan Deathmatch Champion.

I'm kidding, he's far too young for BJW to give an extended push to.

Edited by Kropotkin's Beard
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Craig H

Craig H

Posted
Posted
24 minutes ago, mystman said:

That's brilliant! Then, 20 years from now when she debuts, Liberty can call herself "a daughter of a plumber"!

Wrestling is a flat circle.

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Technico Support

Technico Support

Posted
Posted (edited)
56 minutes ago, paintedbynumbers said:

all well in good, this is why you don't burn bridges. Or make it look to the fans that you actively despise the competition if you really don't.  He is either a sell out or phony. Take your pick.

Nobody forced him to do the over the top entrances with the sledge hammer, the false pedigrees, the theme song lyrics.   It's different if someone like Omega or the Bucks left because they never really went out of their way to bury the competition only to come running to them the minute he was "unhappy"  

Had Cody not gone out of his way to bash WWE any chance he had (and hell he created the chances himself) I would have 0 issue with him leaving if he isn't happy. I left my last job not because of money but because I don't want to work with assholes. I told the company owner that very sentence the day I left.  I wasn't happy I left.  If I am not happy now I won't go back to the former company even if they offered me 7 figures. It wouldn't happen.  If Cody wasn't happy at AEW he is damn fortunate WWE took him back after the stuff he pulled.  Imagine if they didn't where would he go?  

Thank you!  I'm not begrudging Cody for making money, I'm begrudging him for being a phony.  Everything from that Tweeted list of aspirational indy stuff he wanted to do, designed to look like aw shucks he just loves wrestling but in reality all those bookings were already done before he posted it, to the throne smashing and all the other performative "one of us" acts of rebellion, is what I begrudge the guy for.  I know it's quaint to call out fakes and sellouts in our cynical age but fuck it, I'll be quaint.  The guy is a phony.  Good for him that everything worked out because Vince loves nothing more than re-signing guys who shit on him, but he's still a phony.

Edited by Technico Support
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Leonidas

Leonidas

Posted
Posted (edited)

Opposite take: I love Cody. Any man who will take 10 whips to the back, jump off an (AEW tall) cage, and go through an overly burning table, just for the passion of loving wrestling, has my respect. And those early AEW babyface promos were some of the best work he's done. It just didn't work after that.

Edited by Leonidas
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Craig H

Craig H

Posted
Posted

When I was younger I used to begrudge punk bands or other bands for "selling out." Now that I'm older, I realize that was horrendously stupid and short sighted. However, Cody falls into this grey area where I don't know what to think about the guy. I brushed off the tattoo at the time because I didn't think it was a big deal, but it clearly was bigger than I imagined. Then there's all of the anti-WWE stuff and wanting to take WWE head on, which the other EVPs didn't want to do, and now he's back with WWE.

So to be faaaaaaaiiiiiiiir, I don't think Cody imagined he would be in this spot again. I have a feeling he was going to be with AEW for life until he was left with less and less creative control. So he did what was best for his family and lifestyle and ultimately, that's fine. I just think it's going to be a little awkward to walk back a lot of the stuff he's said and done since the moment he was released from WWE the first time. Although, who knows, it could be as simple as saying it was just business and no one appreciates someone willing to fight like Vince does.

In the end, Cody probably did the best thing possible for his career. He did the Christian thing, which was to show Vince he was wrong and that he could be a main eventer, he could be a draw, and hell, he could even help start up and run a wrestling company that is on WWE's heels and along the way he was completely shameless in wanting to stick it to WWE. That's the weird sort of crap Vince appreciates and makes him like someone even more.

Now, do I think this winds up in him being protected like Roman or Brock? Not a chance. Like others said, he has a window where he's something special for three months at the most until he's a JAG and going 50/50 with Sami Zayn or Kevin Owens or whoever. Then after another 9 months to a year he'll get a push to a championship when he's not even special anymore and no one cares because that's just how Vince operates. 

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Log

Log

Posted
Posted

I don't think Cody sold out because I think he's always been a sellout, if that makes sense. I don't mean that negatively, either. He's always been out to make a lot of money. I have zero problems with that.

It's just that when you present yourself as the guy who's going to break the throne and take down that evil company up north, you have to expect there to be some raised eyebrows when you immediately go back to working for them.

@Craig Hbrought up the idea of punk bands and selling out. I just don't think that applies to Cody. He's not Green Day. He's Nickleback. He never had "cred". He's always been a major label guy.

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JohnnyJ

JohnnyJ

Posted
Posted

It just seems like it is the nature of the business. Eventually they all come back for the money. Who hasn't sold out? This is the business that brought us jean shorts Bret beating up Vince. Hell, even Mr. I left the business in 2005 and finally returned had a stint on WWE Backstage. 

What are the instances of someone not selling out? 

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