"I can get that thought process" - Former Bullet Club member gives his honest thoughts on Cody Rhodes signing with WWE
AEW star Adam Cole has shared his thoughts on Cody Rhodes making the jump to WWE earlier this year.
Cole made his AEW debut last year at All Out, shortly after news broke that he would depart WWE when his contract was up. He was one of several major stars to make the jump in 2021. As a former NXT Champion and main event star, he represented a major acquisition for the Jacksonville promotion.
The same can now be said for Cody Rhodes going the other way. The grandson of a plumber set out on a journey of self-made stardom after being shown the door by WWE in 2016. He went on to help found AEW before eventually returning to his original home this year at WrestleMania.
Adam Cole has a fairly pragmatic look on the move. In a recent appearance on Busted Open Radio, The Panama City Playboy explained that Cody's decision was just business at the end of the day. He also understands that as the first major AEW departure, it captured the attention of the wrestling world:
"Cody being one of the originators or founders in a lot of ways of AEW, I think it definitely surprised a lot of people. But generally speaking, and this is just the way that the pro-wrestling is, stuff like this happens all the time. I understand that it was the first big one from AEW to WWE. So I can get that thought process." (41:18)
The Bullet Club @AdamColePro & @CodyRhodes with the big win over The Addiction. #WatchROH #BulletClub https://t.co/aJijOqHpYT
Adam Cole was once a stablemate of Cody Rhodes in Bullet Club. The pair even represented the stable by tagging together on two occasions. Cole departed Bullet Club when he joined NXT and Rhodes left the faction with the rest of The Elite when their contracts with New Japan Pro-Wrestling expired.
Cody Rhodes returned to WWE to chase his championship aspirations
In 2016, Cody departed Vince McMahon's promotion amid creative tussles revolving around the Stardust gimmick. As mentioned previously, he enjoyed a stint as a member of Bullet Club, where he became a quintessential aspect of The Elite subgroup.
The Elite would eventually form the foundation for what would become All Elite Wrestling. Early in AEW's history, Cody booked himself in a scenario that resulted in him never being able to challenge for the AEW World Championship again.
He would go on to capture the TNT Championship three times, becoming somewhat synonymous with the belt. But it seems there was a larger itch that needed to be scratched.
Sometimes the sequel is better than the original!
#WMBacklash https://t.co/HFkg52aMBC
At the end of his third title reign, Cody made the decision to leave what he had helped build in order to pursue his dream of winning the WWE Championship. The American Nightmare has since revealed that it was part of a promise to his father.
Rhodes began the chase against Seth Rollins at WrestleMania. He defeated The Architect at the Show of Shows, then again at WrestleMania Backlash. With these victories, The American Nightmare has taken the first steps on his journey to capturing gold in WWE.