During a recent interview, WWE Champion Cody Rhodes inadvertently took a show at the company he helped to form, AEW.
WWE superstar Cody Rhodes appeared on the “2 Bears, 1 Cave” podcast with Tom Segura and Bert Kreischer last week. And he opened up about the state of wrestling and his time in All Elite Wrestling (AEW). The company he helped build.
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Rhodes made the case for what he thinks a lot of wrestling companies, including AEW, lack and what the wrestling community can do to attract a wider audience.
Cody Rhodes claims AEW and other wrestling companies passing on big opportunites
“There’s a whole outside world. There are multiple mediums of entertainment. Don’t be in a bubble, don’t be afraid to do a little cross-over thing,” Rhodes said. “Yeah, pure core wrestling fans, they may not love it, but there’s something on the show that’s for them already.
“I’m not burying where I formerly was but, [they’re] not understanding the power, the magnitude of new eyeballs.”
The American Nightmare believes AEW focuses too much on itself and misses opportunities to connect with other forms of entertainment. He says that’s why it’s hard to bring in new fans outside of the hardcore wrestling crowd.
When Rhodes left AEW in 2022, it was mostly due to creative differences. He felt he had no say in the bookings. He called his departure “terrible” but still speaks highly of his time with the company.
Rhodes is one of the most creative minds in wrestling and his thoughts show how AEW can keep the fans happy while trying to bring in new viewers. According to him, wrestling companies need to evolve in what has become a very competitive wrestling entertainment world.
That’s the struggle of wrestling companies: trying to please the fans while growing the audience. Rhodes says it’s all about balance between creative freedom and expansion.
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