Report: Cody Rhodes Has Multiple Offers, WWE Deal "Hit A Snag"
The latest twists in the saga that is Cody's once-inevitable return to WWE.
It wasn't that long ago that Cody Rhodes returning to WWE seemed like a foregone conclusion, an imminent appearance that would represent a colossal coup for the company, snagging one of AEW's founders just three years after All Elite Wrestling debuted.
But now, days after reporting that Rhodes' WWE status had become "very uncertain", Dave Meltzer has reiterated that negotiations between the former AEW EVP and the market leaders have hit a snag.
Meltzer posted on the Figure Four Online/Wrestling Observer message board that Rhodes currently has multiple offers on the table. Though the ball is in his court regarding his final decision, WWE would like him to make up his mind sooner rather than later for "obvious reasons."
Elsewhere, Meltzer posted that this coming Monday's episode of Raw in Jacksonville, Florida (AEW's home base) would make sense for Rhodes' WWE return. WWE wants the deal confirmed this week, but while they won't be happy if Cody stalls, they aren't going to pull their offer. Nobody, in fact, is turning Rhodes down, meaning the 36-year-old can likely take as much time off as he wants.
Last month, Cody and his wife Brandi announced that they would not be returning to AEW. This followed a period where Rhodes was working without a contract, even while he held the TNT Championship. After the separation was officially announced, speculation ramped up that Cody could return to WWE imminently, though nothing has materialized. It's become something of a dark joke, with rumors popping up weekly of Rhodes showing up on Raw or at Elimination Chamber or even Saturday's house show at Madison Square Garden - and none of them have materialized.
Now that AEW president Tony Khan has bought Ring of Honor, a new round of speculation has begun that Rhodes could join ROH as part of some larger angle.
Until Cody actually signs and shows up on TV somewhere, expect these stories and rumors to continue to crop up. He quite possibly is one of the highest-profile free agents out there, and wherever he lands will spark a bunch of headlines.