Cody Rhodes

From beloved babyface to polarizing tweener, Cody Rhodes' role in All Elite Wrestling has drastically shifted since the launch of the promotion two years ago.

Truth be told, he hasn't done much differently, either. In many ways, he is still the same character now that he was then, except the crowd support isn't as strong as it once was.

His falling out with the AEW faithful was only inevitable. Anyone who has followed his run since late 2019 should be aware of where he went wrong and why he hasn't exactly been a crowd favorite as of late.

The 35-year-old's constant breaks from television combined with his inconsistent storylines and lack of character development have made him an easy target for criticism. John Cena suffered from a similar issue for a good chunk of his WWE career, and now Cody is quickly becoming his AEW equivalent from that standpoint.

Prior to his recent return to WWE, Cena was renowned for receiving mixed reactions from fans. That was due to him being tailored to the younger demographic for so long and the older male segment of the audience resenting him for it.

Some of the booking decisions WWE made with The Cenation Leader during that long stretch of time weren't always the most popular, but there could be no doubt he was the franchise player.

The same can not be said for Rhodes, though. Despite being one of the founding fathers of AEW, he has been bouncing around from feud to feud with no real sense of direction for the past year and a half. Unlike with Cena, not everything involving The American Nightmare has been exactly must-see.

In addition to his rivalry with The Factory that had no business being as long as it was, Rhodes hasn't done anything of importance in ages. Per the stipulation he agreed to upon losing to Chris Jericho at Full Gear 2019, he can't contend for the AEW World Championship and that has severely limited what he can do.

Cena, on the other hand, was always chasing championship gold no matter how bad the backlash got. In fact, his constant presence at the top of the card was part of the reason why he was resented by such a noticeable portion of the audience at the peak of his popularity.

There's no telling if he would have won over those fans had he remained full-time in wrestling, but with how long he's been gone from WWE, he's had no trouble endearing himself to virtually everyone in the WWE Universe any time he's been back since 2019.

Following in Cena's footsteps may be a much tougher task for the AEW executive vice president if he sticks around and doesn't disappear for years at a time.

At the very least, one thing Cena had going for him during his time on top and Rhodes has going for him today is that they never fail to deliver when the lights are bright regardless of who they're in the ring with and how the crowd feels about them.

Cena earned his "Big Match John" nickname by showing up and showing out on countless occasions. Meanwhile, Rhodes has had multiple Match of the Year contenders in AEW and lives up to the hype when it matters most.

Better yet, both men have done an exceptional job of putting over and elevating talent when necessary. There have been a few cases here and there arguing otherwise, of course, but all in all, they haven't gotten proper recognition for doing the honors and helping push the future forward more often than not.

Perhaps what gets under the skin of fans more than anything when it comes to Rhodes is his blatant acknowledgement on TV of not wanting to turn heel. Cena was guilty of the same thing for many years and was one of the elite few to never succumb to the negativity.

The biggest difference between the two in that regard is that the AEW EVP has proved in other promotions that he can work as a viable heel in the main event scene. He has said before that becoming a villain at this point would be "too easy," but all of his efforts to turn the crowd around in his favor since then have come up unsuccessful.

Even with all the commonalities the characters share, Rhodes can't be considered a carbon copy of Cena. Both men are established but in two totally different ways and Cena was far more important to WWE's week-to-week programming than The American Nightmare currently is to AEW.

With that in mind, there are lessons AEW can learn from how WWE booked Cena when he was at his most despised. It did the right thing by eventually flipping the script with Roman Reigns, and if AEW did something similar with Rhodes down the line, he can also rejuvenate his career and embark on an epic heel run.

        

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content.

In All Elite Wrestling's maiden year, Cody Rhodes was unquestionably the best babyface in the company. During his initial run, he delivered countless memorable moments that helped the new venture. When you consider that, it's hard to wrap your head around his current status.

To say The American Nightmare is in a rut would be an understatement. If you needed any proof of just how much so, look no further than the loud jeers he received in Arthur Ashe Stadium. It was a jarring viewing experience that made for one of the low points on the Grand Slam card.

Although it may seem like it sprung up on Rhodes overnight, the reception for him has gradually become apathetic. Now, the fans who once applauded him have begun to outright reject him. This continued on Wednesday's Dynamite when fans could hear audible barbs directed at the former TNT champion and even some "Cody sucks" chants.

Throughout his tag match against Matt Sydal and Dante Martin, CM Punk continuously pointed out the mixed reaction to the 36-year-old. His partner, Lee Johnson, tagged himself in and ultimately earned the win for his team. Afterward, Arn Anderson shut his pupil down as he attempted to call out Malakai Black.

Then, the legendary member of The Four Horsemen proceeded to dress Rhodes down and leave with Big Shotty in tow. It was oddly symbolic and it seemed to imply that AEW is playing off the negative response to the second-generation star for his next storyline.

It's unclear where this will lead but Rhodes' current act just isn't working anymore and he needs to adapt to the growing tide of opposition soon.

             

How Did Rhodes Get Here?

Rhodes was originally one of the most popular wrestlers on the roster. So, it's hard to fathom just how much has changed since he cut that impassioned promo in Daily's Place to kick off AEW's empty arena shows on Mar. 18, 2020. This beautiful and solemn moment became a rallying cry during this era of the company.

He has lacked the heart and fire he displayed on that night for months. Something about his most recent feuds has felt superficial and even contrived. Even more, the absence of live crowds probably hurt him more than anyone else because he fed off of its energy and rose to every occasion early on.

His reception began to shift earlier this year during the Face of the Revolution ladder match. Rhodes sustained an injury and headed backstage. But he remained visible in the corner of the screen as if he would make a gutsy comeback and will himself to victory. This made his return to the ring appear self-indulgent and overly melodramatic.

As a result, the fans in attendance booed him for the first time. Scorpio Sky eventually went on to win the match but Rhodes' attempt at an act of bravery was distracting. This either became a theme, or the appeal of his style of matches became passe, possibly both.

His extravagant entrance and overwrought promos don't feel special anymore. Instead, they appear to be an effort to remain relevant on a show that has evolved past the need for his showy displays of superstardom.

Speaking of promos, Rhodes' infamous American Dream speech was the straw that broke the camel's back. His dated patriotism in the face of a foreign antagonist and teary-eyed delve into race in America sparked controversy online. The vitriolic response to the segment was so prominent that it forced him to address it several times, but the damage was already done.

His words and the actions that followed inadvertently caused fans to side with his opponent at Double or Nothing, Anthony Ogogo. Even more, the Olympic bronze medalist was a much more intriguing character at the moment but inevitably lost to the AEW vice president.

He never quite recovered from the perception that followed him after that feud. In fact, a similar dynamic with Malakai Black made some fans think Rhodes would undermine the recent addition to AEW. As such, they rooted for the Dutchman even though he is a heel, causing the chorus of boos at Grand Slam.

              

Has AEW Outgrown One of Its Founding Members?

Perhaps the biggest issue at hand is that the company has seemingly outgrown the need for his style of match and storytelling. Rhodes is no longer a big fish in a small pond now that AEW has popular stars like Black, Punk, Bryan Danielson and Adam Cole.

Unlike the other members of The Elite, The American Nightmare is struggling to find his place among the company's hottest acquisitions. He stands out like a sore thumb on the card now. Whether intentionally or not, his usage comes off as a push to stay relevant when he's just not a believable babyface anymore.

This has led many viewers to believe the best option is to turn heel and allow the fans to continue to boo until their hearts are content. However, Rhodes bristled at the idea during an AMA session with Bleacher Report.

“I'm of the belief that if you pay your money you can cheer, boo, etc," he said. "To go from a warm reception to an adversarial reception... I'll retire before I become a heel. I'm not going to make decisions that are bad for our youth to see. That's the challenge. How do I maintain where I'm at when the crowd wants to get a different flavor.”

So, embracing his dark side as he did with Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro-Wrestling may not be the result. However, the second-generation star has a great understanding of the business. He's smart enough to know when it's time to reinvent your character.

His quote above and his work on the latest episode of Dynamite could all be a part of his plan to do something different. Hopefully, that's the case because the audience is trying to tell him current performances are growing stale, and he would be foolish to ignore them.

If he wants to reverse his recent fortunes, Rhodes has to find the resolve that originally made his time with AEW so compelling. 

Cody Rhodes and his wife, Brandi Rhodes, have become a powerhouse couple in the world of wrestling.

Both have had key roles in the formation of AEW, serving as superstars in the ring and executives behind the scenes. Cody is an executive vice president, while Brandi serves as the chief brand officer. 

The couple have also expanded their television with the creation of Rhodes to the Top, a reality show on TNT. On Monday, Cody and Brandi joined the Bleacher Report app to speak to fans during an AMA session. 

The following is the full transcript from the AMA session.

---

@just_in_time What inspired you guys to create the show? Is it something you wanted to do for a long time now ?

C: The inspiration is the expansion of the AEW footprint. Dynamite was so good. We moved from Wednesday - Friday nights. With that in mind, the idea that we could put mics on members of management, turn the cameras on and get this unprecedented look behind the scenes in the craziness, most tumultuous season just felt like it just happened. I’m proud we were able to keep it authentic, it’s not a framed reality show and just a reality show. That excites me.

B: What happens on the show falls on a very interesting period of time. When we were filming everyone was scared that we’d wrap before the baby was born. Then the baby came early which is why we shifted courses. You get pregnant Brandi at the end of her road and then this beautiful baby is here and there’s this adjustment. That’s where we end off and whatever’s next is up to TNT. I’m hopeful we’re able to see what’s next, it’s really a fun and amazing time. I’ve changed a lot in a good way. This is a process everyone goes through and I want to share that with people.

       

C @fitchkarma6 What inspired you to originally be a part of AEW?

C: The origin story of AEW is almost 9/10 incorrect. But the truth is it’s all of the origin stories. Chris Jericho’s origin stories, Matt & Nick Jackson, most importantly Tony Khan, and me and Brandy. Those origin stories all have to come together. Tony Khan wanted to do this since he was a little kid. He had the mind to put this together and do what other wrestlers couldn’t and get to the WarnerMedia office to sell it. I think the turning point was after we did ‘All In’ and we really wanted to do a second show. That second show in conversation grew to a weekly running deal. The thought that Matt, Nick, Kenny and myself are Vice Presidents and have a say in storylines was just harmonious. It will never happen again in wrestling for every star to align and to exist in a way it does now. If we were to walk away from it now, I can hold my hands up and say I’m so happy this is a part of my legacy - the creation of this place. This is no longer a challenger brand. It’s moving and grooving at a really high pace and all the data is there to support what’s happening in the business. AEW is gonna be around for a very long time. That’s amazing. I’m very excited. It took someone like Tony to let us play the music like we know to play it.

      

C @CodyRhodes Did you foresee AEW coming together this fast? 

C: I’ve always had a more realistic outlook on the growth...I have a bit more conservative outlook on how we could grow, how we could move ourselves out of the black. Very quickly early on I realized we created this wonderful company that people want to come to. It’s a matter of time until free agents come because it’s a friendly environment. Free agents want to come. There’s no writers. It’s a book show, not a written show. Sometimes it’s home runs and sometimes it’s misses. That’s what makes it real. I should’ve seen it was a matter of time but I've always been conservative. I’m lucky to live in the timeline it did.

       

C or B: @JbMack_920 Was it always going to be called AEW? Were there other names that were considered?

C: There were other names kicked around. We considered ‘All Elite’ and Tony had the foresight and said ‘it’s a wrestling company, we need initials’... Dynamite is what Tony wanted and he saw it through.

B: It was always AEW, it was whether or not it was going to be Dynamite

      

Either @DaBlackDrPhil How rewarding is it to see all the hard work you guys put behind the scenes to get the company to where it is now?

C: As a wrestler it’s so hard sometimes to say ‘he this is great, these are the good times’ because we’re always treating every glass of water like it’s your last. I’m on technically four shows in the WarnerMedia family… It’s hard as a wrestler to sit back but if there’s ever a time it’s now.

      

B @realalexlarsen Who is the funniest person behind the scenes at AEW? 

A lot of people think they’re funny so i’ll give you that. QT Marshall, Charlie Ramone, Cody, me...i’m sarcastic though so my humor doesn’t mix with a lot of people...Sammy thinks he’s pretty funny. The funniest person behind the scenes is Dean Malenko but he has my kind of humor -- being sarcastic.

      

C @v1p3r When did you decide to call yourself the American Nightmare?

I spent my WWE career trying to do everything different from Dusty but then at a certain point you’re allowed a little grace. When I left in 2015 and went to New Japan it was Tiger Hattori and Gato that liked the idea because it was easy for the fans to follow because it was like ‘The American Dream.’ I was able to take it from there and get ownership of it and bring it everywhere I go. Now I’m surprised because I’ve never used it before. Dusty was rags to riches and I was riches to riches, bratty little kid so the American Nightmare fits me well.

       

Both @253cod How young were you when you first realized you wanted to wrestle?

C: It was my earliest memories at 3 or 4 years old so there’s never not been a time.

B: I was older. I first got int he Wrestling ring at 27. I was modeling at the time through agencies. I was a figure skater for 14 years and fit the bill. I tried out and fell in love with it.

       

C @yourtoosoft What is your great wrestling memory of your dad The Great American Dream?

There’s so many so it’s fluid in my mind. Something I was most proud of was my dad was really adamant that he believed in me genuinely despite signs that I wasn’t. My first WM was my first singles match in front of 80K people and he took a picture of me. It was the first time the tide really turned where I wasn’t Dusty’s son but Cody’s dad and those moments were really exceptional. As proud of my dad as I was... 

       

C @cwb17630 What’s the best advice you can give to someone who aspires to wrestle to take themselves to the next level?

I was told this in the ring one time and I shared it with Red Velvet the night we wrestled Shaq and Jade...don’t let anyone convince you you’re not the biggest star in the ring and I refused to believe otherwise. That really meant something.

      

B @Neckbeardsports What is some advice you’d give to anyone aspiring to make their own business?

There’s going to be a lot of people that tell you all the reasons why not -- how much it'll cost, the planning, etc. The list is endless, but if you’re truly passionate about something you just have to start and keep going. It may not go exactly the way you want and you may take some detours but just stay the course. 

Throughout much of my life, there have been more people who told me I can’t do something than I people who told me I can. Use that as fuel. 

The best feeling in the world is when someone has told you you can’t do something matter of factly, and then when you do, It feels so great. 

Me being right is everything to me.

      

C @Biggie2kFreak What has been the biggest downfall or challenge in your career and how did you manage?

 The music has broken my heart far more than it has cheered me up so far. I started a bit smaller and today in our industry I'm like a giant. Currently, I'm in a position where they think I book the show and book myself which has created tension for some fans. I’m of the belief that if you pay your money you can cheer, boo, etc. To go from a warm reception to an adversarial reception...i’ll retire before I become a heel. I’m not going to make decisions that are bad for our youth to see. That’s the challenge, how do I maintain where I’m at when the crowd wants to get a different flavor.

       

B @Ryansportss What is the toughest part of your job? 

People seem to assume because I have an executive role that it’s all encompassing of everything having to do with women and people of color. That’s just not the reality of corporate america. Think of the person who has my job at Coca Cola, you wouldn’t say they’re responsible for all women and people of color because they’re a woman and person of color. It’s something I’ve gotten very used to and completely turn on. I do what I do need to do and that’s my job. Those are areas I’m passionate about, but you have to stay realistic. You have to be professional and be measured about how you fight for some of your passions as well as do your job. As a professional sometimes you eat crow and you do what you know is right.

      

Rapid Fire: 

@historian Waffle House or IHop? 

Waffle House (both)

     

@yifi11 Where was your first date? 

C: Waffle House

     

@Notorious87 Favorite sport outside of wrestling? 

C: College Football (Dawgs fan)

B: Figure Skating

      

@tallest Better character: American Dream or Gold dust? 

C: Golddust

B: American Dream

       

BOTH @CmBombay6699 Who are on your Mt. Rushmores of wrestlers? 

C: Vince, Dusty, The Rock, Tony

B: Sherri Martel, Ms. Elizabeth, Mae Young, Madusa

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.

---

Daniel Bryan Reportedly Scheduled for AEW All Out

In addition to CM Punk competing in his first wrestling match in more than seven years, AEW All Out will reportedly feature the debut of another major star.

According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of Ringside News), multiple sources have said that Daniel Bryan will make his AEW debut at All Out on Sunday.

Meltzer noted that if Bryan does not appear, it will be because the original plans changed in some way.

Bryan wrestled under his real name, Bryan Danielson, until he signed with WWE in 2009, and he will likely revert back to that name in AEW.

The 40-year-old veteran became one of the biggest stars in wrestling during his WWE tenure, winning the world title five times in addition to being a former Intercontinental, United States and Tag Team champion.

Bryan also competed in the main event of WrestleMania twice at WrestleMania 30 and earlier this year at WrestleMania 37.

The WrestleMania 37 main event saw both Bryan and Edge fall to Roman Reigns in a Triple Threat for the Universal Championship. Bryan then lost a match to Reigns on SmackDown at the end of April, resulting in him having to leave SmackDown.

Shortly after that, it was reported that Bryan's WWE contract had expired and he was a free agent.

Rumors have been circulating for the past several weeks that Bryan was either poised to sign with AEW or had already done so, and Meltzer has essentially confirmed those reports.

If Bryan does appear at All Out, it is safe to assume he will show up after the main event. Punk vs. Darby Allin or Kenny Omega vs. Christian Cage could be in that spot.

Either way, Bryan would represent another massive signing for AEW just weeks after the arrival of Punk.

---

Orton vs. Lashley Reportedly Scheduled for Extreme Rules

WWE reportedly has plans for a big WWE Championship clash at the Extreme Rules pay-per-view on Sept. 26.

According to Meltzer (h/t Felix Upton of Ringside News), WWE is moving forward with Bobby Lashley defending the WWE title against one half of the Raw Tag Team champions Randy Orton.

WWE seemed to tease the start of that rivalry on Monday's episode of Raw, as Orton and Riddle defended the Raw Tag Team Championships against Lashley and MVP.

Just before Raw went off the air, Orton hit Lashley with an RKO out of nowhere, which may have been the catalyst for their feud.

Putting Orton in the WWE Championship scene would be an interesting decision on WWE's part given that Orton and Riddle are the Raw Tag Team champions and have been one of the hottest acts in the company as RK-Bro.

Additionally, AJ Styles and Omos are still very much in the Raw Tag Team title picture after dropping the championships to RK-Bro at SummerSlam, and they were at ringside from Monday night's title match.

It stands to reason that Orton could pull double duty at Extreme Rules by defending the Raw Tag Team Championships and vying for the WWE Championship in the same night.

If WWE doesn't want to go in that direction, however, the rematch with Styles and Omos could take place on Raw instead.

---

When Top AEW Contracts Reportedly Expire

AEW reportedly won't have to worry about the possibility of some of its top stars leaving for two years.

According to Meltzer (h/t Mukherjee), many of the big names that signed with AEW when the company was officially formed in January 2019 signed contracts that will keep them in the fold through early 2023.

Meltzer noted that while many of them were three-year deals, "most" had a fourth-year option that are likely to be picked up by AEW.

Although Meltzer didn't provide any specifics regarding precisely who could become free agents in 2023, some of the wrestlers who have been with AEW from the start include Omega, Cody Rhodes, The Young Bucks, "Hangman" Adam Page, Chris Jericho, The Lucha Bros., Britt Baker, MJF, Jungle Boy and Allin.

Given that AEW has signed many former WWE stars who were either released by the company or chose not to re-sign, there is some intrigue regarding whether WWE may try to raid AEW's roster in 2023 when some free agents become available.

To this point, the roster jumping has been one-sided with WWE paring down its roster and AEW bringing in the big names.

As wrestlers continue to make a name for themselves in AEW, however, there could potentially be some desire on WWE's part to poach that talent.

---

Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).