Cody Rhodes On Fans Being Patient With AEW’s Women’s Division, Not Being Close-Minded To Criticism
Cody Rhodes asks people to be patient while they cultivate the women’s division because AEW genuinely wants to make it a big part of their brand.
Cody took part in a media call ahead of All Elite Wrestling’s Atlanta taping last week and was asked about plans for the women’s division in the new year. Cody said he’s not ignorant to the criticism the company has received so far for how the women have been booked so far but says they are cultivating the division and have some great talent in place already.
Rhodes praised the “face” of the division, Britt Baker, inaugural champion Riho and her successor, Nyla Rose, as well as cited Big Swole, who we saw step up to Nyla on last week’s show. Cody says women’s wrestling is doing very well right now and he wants to see that continue into the next year and beyond.
“The women’s division is growing. I actually would say when you hear the criticisms—you hear the good things about your show, things people don’t like and you’ve got to keep your ears open. You can’t be close-minded to it. One thing that is going to take time is the women’s division in particular. It’s a merit-based show. It’s a merit-based wrestling show and the best wrestlers are going to wrestle on that show. I think we have some of the best wrestlers and some of the best women’s wrestlers. I’d really like to see Big Swole emerge,” Cody said, “Britt Baker is on absolute fire. Nyla Rose becoming the second AEW Women’s World Champion, an amazing moment and maybe the best match on the best show we’ve done all year. That speaks to the talent level of Nyla and Riho and that international involvement that will always be there as far as bringing in the Joshi talent.
“I think it’s something that—be patient with AEW because we’re actively doing everything we can to grow the division, to cultivate the division and make it a very, very strong women’s division. It’s a special thing right now in wrestling in how popular women’s wrestling has become,” Cody said. “I think some people, certain people are out to get ‘woke points’ with women’s wrestling when in actuality women’s wrestling does incredibly well in the minute-by-minute, with merch and ticket sales, so we genuinely want to make this a big part of our brand. Hopefully, more of that in 2020 and into 2021 as we go forward.”
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