MJF On Whether AEW Was Sad To See Cody Rhodes Go

Cody Rhodes left AEW, the company he helped launch as one of its Executive Vice Presidents in 2019. Rhodes last competed in the company on the January 26, 2022 episode of "Dynamite." Rhodes made his way back to WWE, a company he had not been in since 2016, making his surprise return at WrestleMania 38 against Seth Rollins.

AEW star MJF, who had a rivalry against the "American Nightmare" in 2020, discussed AEW's feelings about Rhodes' departure from the company.

"I cannot speak on Cody Rhodes' behalf, but what I will say is this: A lot of people are very into tribalism these days in professional wrestling, it's cute, I dig it," MJF said appearing on "The MMA Hour." "If you look historically at our industry, I'll give you a prime example. Okay. Let's talk Terry Funk. Massive, major star in the history of professional wrestling. Did Terry Funk only wrestle for one company in the entirety of his career? No ... Terry Funk, like me, was a massive draw. So, I do not blame Cody Rhodes for his decision. Cody Rhodes did what was best for Cody Rhodes."

MJF went on to describe his reaction when he learned that Rhodes was leaving the company.

"Not favorably in the sense that, 'Yay, Cody's gone,' but favorably in the sense that we're all professional wrestlers and what happens when somebody leaves is, it opens room for opportunities for another person to step up to the plate," MJF continued. "When big names leave, big names step up. That's just how this business works ... I think people who were friends with Cody were sad to see him go on a personal level, but this is a very competitive sport."

MJF was asked about Rhodes performing with a torn pectoral muscle at Hell in a Cell against Rollins and called Rhodes "incredibly brave" and stated that he would not have done it himself.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "The MMA Hour" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.