Cody Rhodes And His Wife Respond To Critics Of His WWE Return

By John Canton / July 15, 2015

Cody Rhodes returned to WWE programming on Monday night Raw for the first time since his father Dusty Rhodes passed away on June 1. There were mixed reactions to his return as the Stardust character with some fans being very vocal about wanting him to return with the Rhodes name instead, in honour of his dad. Cody's wife Brandi, who performs for WWE as a ring announcer and backstage interviewer named Eden, wrote a blog responding to the critics. Here's part of what she had to say:

Last night my husband returned to RAW to finish what he started and some "fans" we're peeved with him ANGRY because they wanted something else. They wanted him to use what happened to his father as a "stepping stone". Not for Cody, but for themselves. Maybe that's to feel better about everything or maybe they are just that selfish. But to publicly crap on the most courageous thing someone in this position could do which was pick up and carry on and do it brilliantly, shame on you. For people who say €œhe needed to do that for Dusty€€hold on there happy pants, you never knew Dusty. You never sat in his living room or the PC and heard him PRAISE his work. All of it. And appreciate the way Cody took everything and anything and turned it into brilliance, Summer plans that he came up with himself€How he NEVER QUITS AT ANYTHING. And I bet you never saw the screen saver on his phone€that I won€™t share with you. He admired these things about Cody how all of his fans should. Instead some complain and moan and complain and tweet and say €œI€™m just so upset because I am his number one fan€. Newsflash€putting €œRhodes€ somewhere in your Twitter handle does not a fan make. Being there, especially in a time like this, without ulterior motives is what makes the best fans. And we have PLENTY and their voices are heard and we appreciate you.

As for Cody, he has a protected Twitter account @PrinceCGR where he wrote the following: "Troubled seeing some people think I'd allow or be comfortable w/the worst thing that's ever happened to me be exploited on TV for a return." He also mentioned that when he refereed his first match for Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling that Dusty ran, his father gave him a referee's shirt with "Stardust" written on it.

It's easy to understand why Cody and Brandi would feel this way because they're so passionate about the wrestling business, but there doesn't need to be anger about it. Fans want him to go back to the Cody Rhodes name because the Stardust gimmick isn't working that well. Since Brandi hints at some sort of summer feud for Stardust that appears to still be taking place, possibly with actor Stephen Amell, so it's easy to understand that they want to see it through. There was barely a reaction to Stardust when the match with Neville took place on Raw because people don't want to boo the guy that just lost his beloved father. It's not exploiting death by going back to the Cody Rhodes - it's a way to honor Dusty.True fans just want what's best for Cody and his career, so whether that's as Stardust or if he goes back to the Rhodes name, hopefully he can reach his full potential.