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AEW EVP Cody Rhodes and AEW CBO Brandi Rhodes will not be returning to AEW.
Cody had been working with AEW on a handshake deal since his deal expired at the end of 2021. Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful first reported that Rhodes’s contract expired last month. Rhodes confirmed he was working on a handshake deal with AEW in a post-match video posted by on their YouTube channel after what turned out to be his last match in AEW against Sammy Guevara at Beach Break on Jan. 26.
AEW released a statement from Tony Khan on Twitter announcing the departure:
Cody and Brandi Rhodes were integral to the launch of All Elite Wrestling. Cody’s ability combined with his boldness and his passion for our industry and his love for community outreach helped AEW deliver on our mission to give fans what they needed for far too long – something new, innovative and lasting. Brandi helped us shape the AEW story, and I appreciate how hard she fought for us both in the ring and out of the ring, competing in the women’s division while advancing our efforts at inclusion and civic causes, including great partnerships with Kulture City and the American Heart Association.
I have immense respect and appreciation for Cody and Brandi, and I wish them both the best as they move on from AEW.
Thank you, Cody and Brandi!
Tony Khan CEO, President, General Manager & Head of Creative, All Elite Wrestling
Cody Rhodes also made an announcement on about his departure from AEW on Twitter thanking Tony Khan, The Young Bucks and other people he worked with in the ring and behind the scenes in AEW:
I have loved my time at AEW. Amazing locker room. Amazing fans. Amazing people. The “revolution” was indeed televised, and I’ve been incredibly lucky to be part of that.
First, I want to thank Tony Khan. He’s taken the baton and run with it, and it was an honor to work for him and to know him on a personal level. He’s a beautiful soul. Obviously need to thank my incredible wife and the mother of my baby girl, Brandi, for all of her love and support throughout this journey together and the amazing relationships she fostered with Kulture City and the American Heart Association. I also need to thank Nick and Matt Jackson (these two, whether they know it or not, took an undesired and not confident lir cub and gifted me the confidence to become a leader of the pack), Kenneth Omega, Chris Jericho, Chicken…we started the fire. I must thank Tim W/Keith M/Greg W and the amazing production crew who understood and captured the vision with such grace. I can’t name everybody, but thank you to Megha, Margaret, Harrington, Jeff Jones, Dana, Tony Schiavone, Bern, Raf, and the hardest worker in the game, QT Marshall, for propping me up and kicking me in the ass when I was running on fumes. I must thank all my kiddos… MJF, Jade, Sammy, Darby, Lee, Ricky, Tom, The Gunns, Brock, Velvet, Nyla, Aubrey, Turner, Vanilla, Solo, Spears, Julia, Anna, Will, Wardlow, Sonny, Fuego 1 and of course, -1. While we’re at it, give Jade the Codyvator! Also need to take a moment to thank the great partners at Warner Media including Brett, Sam and the rest of the team. I have so many milestones and beautiful memories of this renaissance…through sweat, blood, tears, literal fire, and all that…I left it all on the mat. Everything pales in comparison to the final contribution I was empowered to lead at the company, the community outreach team. In the most inward moments, your outward behavior and your ability to take fame/influence and do something of value for the communities you visit (whether the cameras are on or off) is the highest honor. I am confident Amanda Huber will lead the department with style. I’m so proud of my creations and contributions and the items I supported or collaborated on with such wonderful professionals.
Thank you, fans. Y’all did the work! Let’s live forever.
Brandi Rhodes also released her own statement regarding her departure from AEW on Twitter:
Thank you ❤️ pic.twitter.com/mvs1lJS0UO
— Brandi Rhodes (@TheBrandiRhodes) February 15, 2022
There is no word yet as to whether or not Cody and Brandi’s respective roles as EVP and CBO in AEW will be filled by someone else at this time.
Contact Sean at pwtorchsean@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @SR_Torch
Uh oh. Been a lot of talk the last few days that cuts are coming. Perhaps Tony’s resources aren’t unlimited after all. If this is over money, there were plenty of people to cut and places to save. Stop paying Internet darlings like Lio Rush (thankfully gone) or Danhausen that get a pop from the handful of marks in the building that know who they are and otherwise don’t draw a dime. Next thing you know he’ll sign (YUCK!) The Briscoes. Tony needs to stop reading the mark signs that show up on the hard camera. Remember what happened to WCW when it was booked by the Internet and people like Mike Modest and Paul London were thought to be the future of wrestling. How’d that turn out? Could be this is just a work to have Cody come back to a hero’s welcome since he was getting the John Cena boo treatment from all the “cool” (not so much) fans. I hope that’s the case.