In an interview with The Bill Simmons Podcast which is being published soon, Cody Rhodes opened up a bit more about his departure from AEW, saying there’s clearly bad blood, but there’s also clearly respect and love.
Rhodes attributed his departure to lack of respect, saying that if he ever felt disrespected in WWE, it would be one thing as he’s just a “number on a spreadsheet,” but in AEW, he built the company with his friends.
“Feeling disrespected at something I built with my friends, that we built, feeling disrespected there, I wouldn’t stand for it,” he said.
“I think with Brandi and I both – I’m so blessed to have her – it was one of those where it was like, ‘F*ck it.’ I did way more here than you think and you’re going to find out the moment I’m out the door,” he continued.
He added that the greatest revenge on earth is success and feels that he has achieved that in WWE.
“I felt like we were sitting on something wonderful, something great, a huge potentially, with what I was doing with the American Nightmare as a bad guy, as a good guy, something in between,” Cody said. “We’re sitting on something magic and if I’m not doing to do it in the house I literally with Matt, Kenny, and Nick built? Then, buddy, I’m going elsewhere!”
