Former AEW & WWE Star Quietly Retires
Don't expect to see this former AEW and WWE name back in wrestling anytime soon.
Brandi Rhodes has quietly exited the wrestling business to focus her energy on her business, Naked Mind Yoga + Pilates, in Roswell, Georgia.
This was effectively confirmed via a new conversation with WSB-TV. Rhodes, who hasn't been active in wrestling since she and husband Cody left AEW in February 2022, stated that while she was once determined to make a wrestling career work as a mother, it wasn't happening.
“I was looking to just dive into a new career,” said Brandi. “I had just had my daughter. She’s about two years old now. I was professional wrestling, had been in the industry for about 10 years and was determined to make that career work with a child. And it wasn’t working out.”
Naked Mind held its opening night on 21 October, with AEW's Ricky Starks and Aaron Solo amongst those in attendance alongside Cody and Brandi:
What a crew for the @NakedMindGA grand opening!!!! pic.twitter.com/c4u7Y5uYBB
Advertisement— Cody Rhodes (@CodyRhodes) October 21, 2023
“After years of wear and tear from the wrestling industry, yoga and pilates is what healed my body and just brought me back to a place of just feeling really centered and feeling really good as a human being," said Brandi on opening Naked Mind. "So I really wanted to share that with someone.”
Brandi left her position as AEW's Chief Content Officer alongside Cody last February, having worked for the Tony Khan-helmed promotion for a few months after their contracts had expired. Cody returned to WWE at WrestleMania 38 six weeks later. Speculation has linked Brandi to a WWE role since then, though it never materialised.
Brandi and Cody welcomed their first child, Liberty Iris Runnels, to the world in June 2021.