Cody Rhodes Confirmed For Upcoming TNA Appearance; Comments On His Decision To Part Ways With WWE
Since leaving WWE, Cody Rhodes has enjoyed tremendous success on the independent circuit - but does he harbor any ill feelings about his treatment prior to walking away from the company? More past the jump...
When Cody Rhodes decided to call it a day and walk away from WWE after almost 10 years with the company, many fans assumed he must have been fed up with the Stardust gimmick and was sick of being underappreciated as a performer - and while that might have been a factor, Rhodes maintains that it had more to do with his character being stuck at a certain level, and him wanting to make a break for it while he was still in his prime.
During an interview with Total Wrestling Magazine (via 411 mania) Rhodes says the WWE brass were actually happy with Stardust, and her never felt "underutilized or underrated" while working there.
“I feel like I was paid well and they liked Stardust and in the 10 years I was there I wasn’t off a single live event other than a three week period when I was out with my deltoid, which was right when I grew the mustache. I’d never missed a show, I’d been on everything. The last few years I’d been featured in a match on every WrestleMania, I didn’t feel underutilized, I didn’t feel underrated. I just felt that where I was at with Stardust I was unable to shoot Stardust past say where a Cesaro or Owens was and that ship was sinking and I saw a big shiny ship which is this one I’m on now and I made the jump.”
Rhodes is currently heeling it up as "The American Nightmare" in ROH as a member of the Bullet Club, and has also been confirmed for another TNA appearance this week - though he's not expected to actually wrestle at the show.
Could a return to The WWE be on the cards someday? We've seen people we never expected to step foot in one of their rings again do just that in the past, so anything's possible. For the time being, though, it does seem like Rhodes is having too much fun enjoying his indie success.