Backstage Reaction To Cody Rhodes Leaving AEW, Possible Reason

The topic of Cody Rhodes' AEW departure has been talked about again following the release of his "American Nightmare: Becoming Cody Rhodes" documentary on Peacock. During the two-hour deep dive into Rhodes' journey, he noted that he wouldn't talk about the reasons behind his AEW departure. Rather, he simply stated it was a "personal issue" not related to money or other talent.

In the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer analyzed the situation again as Brandi Rhodes seemingly knocked Tony Khan in the documentary for not picking up the options on both of their AEW contracts. Cody and Brandi signed three-year deals with AEW in 2019, but Khan did not pick up the two-year option. While Khan and Cody were negotiating a new deal, Vince McMahon met with Rhodes. January 26, 2022, marked Rhodes' last AEW match before he returned at WrestleMania 38 in April.

Meltzer stated that he's reached out to Khan, Rhodes, and others looking to clarify why Rhodes left, but they have an agreement in place not to discuss it publicly. Others who were asked all had their own speculation and were overwhelmingly surprised that one of the founding EVPs left.

Since leaving AEW, Rhodes has been adamant that he still maintains contact with Matt and Nick Jackson of The Young Bucks. His documentary featured footage from "Being The Elite," which led to Nick, Matt, and Matt's wife Dana being thanked in the credits.