All Elite Wrestling’s Cody Rhodes has a message for wrestling fans ahead of the promotion’s TNT debut. In some ways, it hasn’t taken long for AEW to make its mark on the wrestling scene. In other ways, it’s taken decades. Cody’s message, brief and heartfelt, encapsulates the dichotomy perfectly.
AEW is the work of several performers in front of the camera, as well as financial backers behind the scenes, but Cody has openly embraced his status as a symbol of what the promotion is meant to represent. A former WWE superstar, Cody’s first few years in that company seemed promising. He had a number of different, colorful gimmicks which changed and evolved to remain fresh. But as he became more of a seasoned veteran, he received less opportunities in the ring. According to Cody himself, he was even told by Triple H that his role in WWE would always be limited. Frustrated, Cody left WWE in 2016. He bet on his own ability to succeed. While many fans and observers initially believed that he would do a tour of the independent wrestling scene, raising his stock, before returning to WWE, the second-generation grappler surprised many by spearheading a company that has been hailed as a much-needed alternative to WWE.
In a post from his Twitter account, ahead of the debut of Dynamite on October 2nd, Cody touched on several points. He began by stressing the fact that the revolution on the independent wrestling scene didn’t start with him alone, namedropping Colt Cabana and alluding to CM Punk’s contributions. The wrestler also mentioned some advice offered to him by John Cena. Above all, the sentiment struck by Cody was one of gratitude for fans. In his view, he said, it’s those fans that helped to get AEW off the ground.
It’s notable how, in the post, Cody doesn’t position AEW as a rival of WWE’s so much as an alternative to it. While he does acknowledge the aspect of competition between the two companies, his vision of AEW appears rooted in the idea of AEW being a viable alternative: for fans and wrestlers alike. While other companies have certainly tried, at different times, in different ways, to be that alternative, AEW has presented itself arguably far better than any others so far.
During its short existence, even without a weekly show, the promotion has produced memorable matches and started rivalries which will become clearer once regular episodes are factored in. Having the door open to celebrity cameos, like Stephen Amell and Joe Manganiello, certainly doesn’t hurt either. There’s no telling what the success of AEW will be in the long run, but with its weekly show just days away, audiences will be able to judge for themselves.
Source: Cody Rhodes