Cody Rhodes Talks AEW Production Being More Sports-Based, WWE’s Style Not All For Pro Wrestling

Cody Rhodes elaborates on his viewpoint regarding AEW and WWE’s production styles.

In a recent interview, Cody talked about how certain elements in WWE’s production are nonsense which led to some on social media to believe that he hates WWE. Cody addressed that topic once again when asked by Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp in a media call about what things in production has he learned could work or not work ever since AEW Dynamite launched.

Cody first dispelled the notion that he “can’t stand Kevin Dunn and the way he produces wrestling” in WWE and added that WWE’s production rules are for the company only and not really applicable for other pro wrestling promotions like AEW.

“I think you read some stuff from my interviews that gets clickbaited and it sounds like I can’t stand Kevin Dunn and the way he produces wrestling. That’s not the case. Kevin Dunn, if you look at WrestleMania, he has left a footprint of the spectacle event. He has done wonderful things with production and I like taking the things that I did get from my time in WWE, the good ones, and bringing them to our production. But also, there’s an aspect of production that is more sports-based that Keith Mitchell brings that I love. I mean, you couldn’t see a camera or a light on stage with tape on it if that makes any sense. There’s these things that were just outlawed and these rules that I said that they’re not pro wrestling rules, they’re WWE rules. There’s a grit and difference to the way Keith Mitchell produces our television and Tim Waller, our master director, directs it,” Cody said.

In regards to the production in AEW, Cody said he wants to make sure the staff and the wrestlers are able to not only get along well, but also communicate in order to ensure everyone is on the same page. Cody mentioned Darby Allin as someone who has taken that to heart and learning about the TV production side to professional wrestling.

“The thing I like the most is there is is something that’s been very important to me as an EVP and it’s something that I include in every weekly debrief because I debrief every show is that the production and the talent, the production in the AEW staff are a family. You guys need to know each other’s names, you guys don’t need to bark at each other. These cameramen on the floor will become your best friends and I’ve already seen people like Darby Allin learning to talk with the cameramen and learning, you know, hey look for this and look for that. He’s ahead of the curve. All the greats were able to do that. There’s this time-honored, and I don’t know why it’s a time-honored element of production and the creative push back on each other with us in AEW I will not allow it and neither will Matt [Jackson], Kenny [Omega] or Tony [Khan]. We’re a family and we’re going to be together every week so I really like how Keith Mitchell produces television and if there’s an element of danger and spontaneity and grit to it that I think belongs in wrestling,” Rhodes said.

The full media call can be viewed in the video at the top of the page.