Cody Rhodes retained the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at the WWE Bash In Berlin 2024 event on Saturday, successfully defeating Kevin Owens. During a recent conversation with “Inside the Ropes,” Cody commented on the various stories pertaining to his departure from AEW, where he and his wife Brandi Rhodes had been offered new contract deals, and their reality show, “Rhodes to the Top,” was set for a second season.
Cody expressed concern that online narratives about his AEW exit are being exaggerated, despite the actual circumstances being less sensational. As a public figure, he felt the pressure to correct these stories to preserve his reputation and the legacy of his late father Dusty Rhodes, and his brother Dustin Rhodes, who is still associated with AEW.
In his conversation, Cody stated, “I think perhaps people might have already run away with it. It’s not really that sexy of a story… The temptation comes from maybe a fear of it getting away from reality and truth… I don’t want elements that are fabricated or lied about becoming truth… Even so, when it takes root, sometimes people need that to be the story and they’re not going to believe you regardless.”
He emphasized, “It’s not a sexy story and my concerns when people try to put a spin on it who weren’t there or don’t know, that’s all stuff you can’t avoid.” Cody desires to share his actual experiences at AEW at the right time, possibly in a decade or two.
Cody surprised the wrestling world with his return to WWE, given his top-tier status at AEW before his departure in 2022.