Cody Rhodes Requests WWE Release
Stardust calls it quits after a decade.
Ten-year WWE veteran Cody Runnels (Stardust) has apparently requested to be released from his contract.
Runnels hinted that something was imminent on Monday when he cryptically tweeted:
If I pretended I was blind, struck it from my mind, would it still be there Which are lyrics from Rise Against song Face to Face. Perhaps tellingly, the preceding line in the song is, Would it be wrong if I decided I should leave?
On Friday he followed up, further suggesting that change was afoot when he wrote, Helluva day. Helluva daybut tomorrow is gonna be even more stressful I think. Wish me luck.
Then on Saturday, Runnels let the cat out of the bag with a two-part tweet that stated, The past ten years have been quite the trek, but as of earlier today I have asked for my release from WWE. Ill speak further on the matter shortly. Thank you to all the pro-wrestling/sports entertainment fans worldwide. Thank you.
Runnels in the past has been known to tweet about things that ultimately did not come to pass, such as his promise to ditch the wildly unpopular Stardust gimmick should he fail to emerge victorious at WrestleMania, which he reneged on. Thus, there remains a chance that this is simply an angle, an elaborate way of dropping the Stardust act.
However, further examination of the wordage used would suggest otherwise, because this is not the sort of cryptic in-character tweets that Runnels is notorious for.
If Runnels is granted the release, he will follow the likes of Bad News Barrett and Ryback out of the door, two grapplers who for different reasons decided not to continue on with WWE. With those three departing and following the raft of talent cuts last week, suddenly the independent scene is going to be flush with new names and faces.
Where this leaves Codys wife, WWE ring announcer Eden Stiles, is unclear. She has since commented on the situation, offering, Could not be prouder or more supportive.
Whether she follows him out of the Stamford door remains to be seen.