10 Times AEW Took Advantage Of WWE Ignoring The Fans

3. Cody Rhodes

Roman Reigns, CM Punk
AEW

AEW wouldn't have come to be without WWE's incompetence.

It's something that gets said enough but still bears repeating, and there can be no better example than this than Cody Rhodes himself.

The second generation star didn't want the moon on a stick in WWE, though that does sound like something Stardust would have mentioned in a nonsensical backstage promo. What he did want was an opportunity to grab one one of the Vince McMahon's mythical brass rings, and he began feeling pretty f*cking aggrieved when they weren't offered out after he got over huge in 2013.

A run against The Shield alongside brother Dustin should have been the turning point for the burgeoning star. Instead, the midcard treadmill beckoned until the aforementioned gimmick change threatened to pigeonhole him forever as little more than a tribute act to his sibling's infamous (and charmingly now rather beloved) persona.

He's told his tale plenty of times, but every version ends with one lingering thought - AEW exists because WWE created the need for it.

 
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Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett