10 Wrestlers Who Blamed Themselves For Failing In WWE
9. Cody Rhodes
Though he symbolically smashed a representation of Triple H's throne at AEW Double Or Nothing 2019 and has launched a couple of lighter jabs at his former employers since Dynamite hit the airwaves, Cody doesn't blame WWE for the circumstances leading to his 2016 release.
Cody had been playing the Stardust character for a couple of years up to that point. Born through a partnership with brother Goldust, it later transitioned into a feud, after which the younger Rhodes was shunted down the card. Rarely used for anything meaningful in last few months in Stamford, Cody asked for and was granted his release, later hitting the internet with the revelation that he'd been "begging" the writers for a change for six months, seeing numerous ideas shot down in the process.
In the end, though, Cody took responsibility for letting the character "break" him:-
Few would dispute that his working standard fell as the Stardust character started to outlive its use, though it's nice to see him so re-energised in 2020. Leaving WWE has done him the world of good.