On the season two premiere of his “What Do You Wanna Talk About?” podcast, Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes made a rare comment about AEW, referring to the company he co-founded as “the alternative promotion” while briefly addressing the public narrative that followed his departure in 2022.
Joined by his wife Brandi Rhodes, Cody touched on how the story of their exit from AEW was portrayed in the media and among fans.
“We’re not gonna get too far into it,” Cody said. “But when we left the alternative promotion, we were also slightly rewritten… [how we] were portrayed very Dark Knight-esque.”
Brandi responded in characteristically sharp fashion, adding, “No. Believe it all for me. Let the darkness in. Just enhances my beauty. I’m like the wicked stepmother or something.”
Cody Rhodes was one of AEW’s original Executive Vice Presidents and a key player in launching the company in 2019. During his time there, he became a three-time TNT Champion before making his shocking return to WWE at WrestleMania 38 in April 2022. Brandi also served as AEW’s Chief Brand Officer and on-screen personality before exiting the company alongside Cody.
While Cody has typically taken a respectful tone when referencing AEW since his WWE return, this podcast moment offered a subtle glimpse into his reflections on how the story of his AEW departure has been shaped post-exit.
The couple moved on quickly from the topic during the episode, but fans of both AEW and WWE were quick to notice the carefully chosen wording. For those closely following Rhodes’ career, this adds another intriguing layer to his already complex legacy across both companies.
Stay tuned to PWMania.com for more highlights from Cody Rhodes’ podcast and updates on the Rhodes family.
(h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription)
