Cody Rhodes Comments On Bray Wyatt Being Released By WWE, AEW’s Free Agent Philosophy

Cody Rhodes wouldn’t comment on any rumors or innuendo during Tuesday’s media call before AEW Dynamite Homecoming, but he did share some insight when it comes to a certain WWE release.

Bray Wyatt was released by WWE on July 31, shocking many fans and peers.

When asked by Nick Hausman of Wrestling INC about the release of Wyatt, Cody responded, “Bray Wyatt, before he was Bray Wyatt, was my rookie at the second season of NXT. The Rotunda family and the Rhodes family certainly go way back. I can’t comment on if I see a spot for him (in AEW), but I can tell you, (he’s) an incredibly creative individual and an incredibly creative man. Whenever I see someone like that lose their job or move into the next phase in their career, as someone who left WWE on my own, I can’t be everyone’s sounding board but I really want to be. I would have never thought Matt Cardona would be GCW Champion and getting pelted with trash, but I should have thought he would be doing something. To circle back to Bray, I can’t comment if he fits with us, but I can say that if he has an ounce of passion for this, he can fit anywhere because he’s a special, special talent.”

Cody was the mentor of Bray, using the name Husky Harris during NXT season two.

AEW has already signed the likes of Malakai Black and Andrade following their WWE releases. They are reportedly signing CM Punk and Daniel Bryan, but neither signing has been confirmed.

Speaking on AEW’s philosophy when it comes to free agent signings, Cody responded to Mike Shalik of SEScoops by saying, “I tell a lot of my peers in wrestling and people who use me as a sounding board, I tell them, ‘You can’t wish away good talent.’ Especially when you get in a groove as a talent yourself. It’s not unlike the world of the NFL and football in the UK. If there’s a free agent out there that can move the needle and be something significant for us, I personally, I’m not saying thing from the company perspective, personally, I think you have to go after them. Does that change the landscape of the show and the roster? For sure, but that is an area where, as much as things can get personal, it is business. No one is immune from that. We’re doing wonderful. There’s a lot of AEW programming and room has opened up, but there’s not incredibly that much more room. I don’t know of the specifics (in the number of free agents to sign), but if you’re asking me, I say the more the merrier. It’s very fulfilling for me, personally as a wrestler — I hope the (Young) Bucks and Kenny (Omega) feel this way as well — it’s very fulfilling to know that three years ago not a lot of people believed in the revolution. The fans believed and that’s why it existed, but not a lot of people believed and they weren’t comfortable. We set this table and now new people can eat. Tony, of course, is at the head of all of that. I have no bitterness in my heart over that. That makes me feel wonderful about a legacy in the wrestling industry. The table has been set, new talent and young talent can eat, and that’s great. It means a lot to leave it better than I found it. A lot of room to grow.”

Cody is set to face Malakai Black on Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite.

Fightful will have live coverage of AEW Dynamite beginning at 8 p.m. ET.

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