Cody Rhodes recently appeared on The Bill Simmons Podcast, which got quite a bit of media attention due to statements like “Bad Blood” and “Disrespected”.
While Cody has not been open about his departure from AEW since 2022, now the WWE Superstar is seen to be quite ready to shed some light about his departure from the company he co-founded.
Thank you Cody and Brandi Rhodes pic.twitter.com/tkDvVpnrrE
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) February 15, 2022
He explained that what triggered his exit in early 2022 was not just creative disagreement or money, but a deep sense of disrespect within an organization he helped build.
In his time with Bill Simmons, he said:
“There’s clearly bad blood. But there’s also clearly respect and love,The way I kind of see it is, if I felt disrespected ever at WWE, that’s one thing. That’s a company that was built… that’s the Yankees. That’s the flagship of it all. If I ever felt there, I was a number on a sheet, maybe. But feeling disrespected at something I built with my friends and that we built, feeling disrespected there, I wouldn’t stand for it.”
Cody Rhodes
Cody even credits his wife, Brandi, as a major factor in his decision to leave AEW. Both he and Brandi were quite happy about Cody’s decision.
The son of “The American Dream”, Dusty Rhodes, Cody says that success is the best revenge, and now he thinks that he is succeeding in WWE.
In the same interview, Cody emphasized that his comeback was not about vengeance; it was about proving himself through success.
IT'S CODY RHODES!!!!!!!!@CodyRhodes has arrived at #WrestleMania! pic.twitter.com/bKDBPLCKKr
— WWE (@WWE) April 3, 2022
Cody also praised WWE leadership, including Triple H, for restoring his confidence and acknowledged that Roman Reigns’ era elevated WWE and gave him a solid runway.
While talking about his success and his sense of revenge toward AEW, he shared his thoughts by saying;
The greatest revenge on earth is success. And I felt like we were sitting on something wonderful, something great, a huge potentially with what I was doing with the American Nightmare as a bad guy, as a good guy, as something in between.
Aside from discussing his departure from AEW and his personal success, Cody Rhodes also spoke highly of John Cena, calling him a respected figure in WWE.
Cody Rhodes praised John Cena’s legacy and called him a significant influence in the WWE locker room.
He described Cena as the standard to live up to and teased that a one-on-one match between them “needs to happen.”
Although Cody Rhodes clearly respects John Cena, he seemed frustrated by Cena’s lack of authenticity and emotional presence. During the interview, Cody urged him to “just be the real Cena,” he added;
Just be the real John Cena. They’re already happy for you. They already love you. You spent years building equity with them. I could care less. Stop. If you got to boo me, if you say, “Let’s go. Cody, Cody sucks.” If you I’m fine. Well, I’ll I I’ll take it. I I I got raised in the industry to be able to take it. But let’s be you. If this is your last SummerSlam, come like it’s your first. Be you. And and then I don’t have to stare at a sea of nothing’s weirder than you’re my favorite wrestler.
While speaking with Bill Simmons, Cody Rhodes opened up about many personal and professional topics, but what truly shocked fans was his candid expression of feeling disrespected during his time in AEW.