TWJT
Superstar
Joined on: Aug 7, 2021 19:07:25 GMT -5
Posts: 536
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Post by TWJT on Apr 11, 2022 16:47:11 GMT -5
…and ‘22, are the return and push still as big?
Hopefully this can stay. I know we are to pull away from talking of AEW in WWE boards and vice versa, but with Cody’s situation I almost feel like you can’t not talk about AEW, because it’s such a humongous part of his return. Hopefully this can stay as long as fighting doesn’t take place.
Let’s say after leaving the WWE, Cody still goes to TNA and the indies, and does the big Bullet Club/Elite stuff in ROH and NJPW, but instead of forming AEW and doing that between 2019 and 2022, AEW never gets created and he just does ROH/NJPW until 2022 and comes back to the WWE. Still has the same gear, gimmick, and theme, and is the American Nightmare, but AEW, the PPVs, the five-star matches, the TBS/TNT presence, none of that happens.
Would Cody’s return still have been as big? Would it still have gotten the WrestleMania moment it got? Would he be getting the push he’s getting?
I’m guessing AEW itself had to happen for things to play out like this, it’s the idea that Vince kind of bought a chunk of AEW, his biggest competition since WCW, that has really put this whole thing over the top.
What do you think? If Cody had just been TNA/indies/ROH/NJPW between ‘16 and ‘22, would this return still have been as big?
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Post by theoutlaw1999 on Apr 11, 2022 19:34:07 GMT -5
It's not just the fact that Cody has returned. One of the founders of AEW has jumped ship to the WWE. That is a huge deal, something you would never have expected to happen so soon.
If Cody returned after doing a few years in the indies he most likely would've came back on a random Raw or Smackdown.
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Quazimoto
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Joined on: Feb 4, 2014 12:37:37 GMT -5
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Post by Quazimoto on Apr 11, 2022 22:36:25 GMT -5
The thing is... It was painfully obvious from the very moment he left WWE that Cody's goal was always to come back to WWE a bigger star than he left. Everything he did on the indies and (I firmly believe) his entire involvement in AEW founding was a means to that end. That's not to say he didn't care about his work in New Japan, ROH, and especially AEW. I think he truly did put his all in it, but the end goal was always to become a big enough star that WWE would want him back and he couldn't be denied a main event spot. Had he not been so instrumental in AEW's founding, I'm not sure WWE (ie Vince) is as intensely interested in bringing him back. But, the allure of being able to (unofficially) say they signed a founding father and executive officer of AEW was just too good to pass up. So I say Bravo! to Cody for accomplishing his goal.
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Post by Next Man’s Knowing Rock on Apr 11, 2022 23:40:48 GMT -5
Without AEW, he wouldn’t have had the superstar entrance on TV every week. He made sure he had the special presentation that made him seem more special than anyone else on that show. If he was just in random indies and TNA, he’d be just another guy. The entire weird Codyverse saga was pretty much just him showcasing his ability to sell “moments” as well.
If he’d just done the same kind of thing McIntyre did, he may have come back in a decent spot. But I don’t think he’d have got the full on superstar return if it wasn’t for his AEW career.
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kinnikuman
Main Eventer
Joined on: Feb 6, 2020 21:42:25 GMT -5
Posts: 4,674
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Post by kinnikuman on Apr 12, 2022 11:35:33 GMT -5
Without AEW and the "competition" between the two promotions, Cody returning would've been like a fart in the wind.
Guy: "Cody's back!"
Other Guy: "Who?"
Guy: "Oh you remember. Dustin's brother, Stardust, he wore the face mask, Dusty's son."
Other Guy: " ... oh. So anyway, who is Roman facing next? Brock again?"
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ℍ𝕒𝕣𝕕 𝕋𝕠 𝕂𝕚𝕝𝕝
Main Eventer
ask me about how Verizon owes me over $4,000
Joined on: Nov 4, 2016 15:44:22 GMT -5
Posts: 2,512
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Post by ℍ𝕒𝕣𝕕 𝕋𝕠 𝕂𝕚𝕝𝕝 on Apr 13, 2022 9:10:02 GMT -5
It's not just the fact that Cody has returned. One of the founders of AEW has jumped ship to the WWE. That is a huge deal, something you would never have expected to happen so soon. If Cody returned after doing a few years in the indies he most likely would've came back on a random Raw or Smackdown. Exactly. The appeal was that he was a co-founder of AEW. Its a pillar from the company jumping. Not necessarily Cody Rhodes returning. |
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Post by rkfastmo on Apr 13, 2022 9:47:06 GMT -5
All the pomp and circumstance, the push, the perks Codeman gained in negotiations, wouldn't have come to fruition. Just treated as some midcarder with a midcarder entrance, 50-50 booking with Miz, back shaving, etc. Essentially all the stuff Rhodes will find himself in once Vince starts actually being TRIGGERED by what he's scripting into Cody's segments.
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omegaman88
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Joined on: Nov 11, 2019 17:04:10 GMT -5
Posts: 536
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Post by omegaman88 on Apr 13, 2022 19:10:06 GMT -5
The thing is... It was painfully obvious from the very moment he left WWE that Cody's goal was always to come back to WWE a bigger star than he left. Everything he did on the indies and (I firmly believe) his entire involvement in AEW founding was a means to that end. That's not to say he didn't care about his work in New Japan, ROH, and especially AEW. I think he truly did put his all in it, but the end goal was always to become a big enough star that WWE would want him back and he couldn't be denied a main event spot. Had he not been so instrumental in AEW's founding, I'm not sure WWE (ie Vince) is as intensely interested in bringing him back. But, the allure of being able to (unofficially) say they signed a founding father and executive officer of AEW was just too good to pass up. So I say Bravo! to Cody for accomplishing his goal. 3 years ago it was looking like he would be the second most powerful man in wrestling. Tony was seemingly going to just bankroll AEW and he would be it's chief figurehead. This is a huge downgrade. He's simply another contracted performer now. |
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walkingturtles
Main Eventer
Joined on: Apr 22, 2018 19:54:00 GMT -5
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Post by walkingturtles on Apr 13, 2022 21:04:43 GMT -5
AEW quickly within the first year outgrew Cody. They no longer needed him. Their fan base turned on him, and he was drowning creatively because of his stubbornness.
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TWJT
Superstar
Joined on: Aug 7, 2021 19:07:25 GMT -5
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Post by TWJT on Apr 13, 2022 21:17:55 GMT -5
AEW quickly within the first year outgrew Cody. They no longer needed him. Their fan base turned on him, and he was drowning creatively because of his stubbornness. Wish he had turned heel, but I guess he found a way to make everything work out. |
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Post by hbkbigdaddycool on Apr 13, 2022 21:39:34 GMT -5
My feeling about Cody is simple... he wanted to do everything his dad did.
Cody left and went to ROH and became a champion there, much like Dusty did in Florida.
Cody won the NWA World Title, just like Dusty did.
Cody appeared at TNA PPV, just like Dusty did.
Cody helped start a wrestling promotion, just like his dad did with PWF.
Cody won the TNT Title - which is AEW's version of a TV Title, just like his dad did.
Cody got to wrestle/appear on TNT and TBS, just like his dad did.
To me, Cody was all about doing everything his dad did, and he got to do that.
Like Cody said on Raw, the one thing Dusty never did was win the WWF Title in the late 70s. Now, Cody has that chance to win the WWE Title to say he did it for his dad.
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