Cody Rhodes Disputes The Young Bucks' Account of His AEW Signing

Cody Rhodes has shared his thoughts on his time in AEW and how a comment from The Young Bucks did not sit well with him.

After his indie run, Rhodes joined forces with The Bucks and Kenny Omega to host the successful All In show in 2018, leading to the creation of All Elite Wrestling with Tony Khan’s financial backing.

While everyone aimed to make AEW a success, The Bucks’ side of the story has different interpretations.

Speaking with Chris Van Vliet, Rhodes discussed his role in AEW's creation and how fans perceived him. He acknowledged the alternative narratives some fans have about his time in AEW but still reflects on it fondly:

“[Have] You ever seen the end of The Dark Knight? Again, it’s super convoluted and I’m not comparing myself to Batman. But there’s a piece of it that’s really important. To certain fans from the AEW fandom, they need the story to be they didn’t want me, they pushed me [out], he was bad… They need that story, they need me to be the villain. I was always fine with accepting that because of the respect I have for it in the first place."

Rhodes highlighted the challenges and triumphs of creating All In and Double or Nothing and expressed gratitude for Tony Khan's investment and vision. He praised Matt and Nick (The Bucks) and Kenny Omega for their roles in AEW’s success and acknowledged the impact they had in New Japan and Ring of Honor.

Despite any "petty squabbles," Rhodes cherishes his AEW memories, including leading younger talents and wrestling Brodie Lee’s final match. He knew his time there was temporary and that bigger opportunities awaited him. Rhodes compared his AEW experience to Hulkamania’s rise before WWE, saying it helped him refine his skills and return to WWE as a complete package.

Rhodes mentioned a particular grievance about The Young Bucks' book, which stated he was the last to sign with AEW, a point often used to downplay his significance:

“I hated that in The Young Bucks’ book they said I was last to the signing. Because that’s a big thing. Some of the AEW defenders who don’t realize they’re turning people off to their product more than they’re turning people on, that’s one of the things that people always cite ‘Oh, he was last, he wasn’t that big a deal to the origin.’ No, this guy here who’s off camera was the first person to ever meet Tony and he met him in a vetting process for all of us."

While technically correct, Rhodes felt he was just as integral to AEW’s formation as anyone else and looks forward to sharing his perspective in his own book.

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