"Everything took off from there" - Top star discloses WWE Superstar Cody Rhodes' major role in getting him signed with AEW (Exclusive)
Cody Rhodes was an EVP of AEW, who was responsible for bringing in some of its younger talents into the promotion. One of these stars was Powerhouse Hobbs, who recently detailed how The American Nightmare got him signed with All Elite Wrestling.
While Rhodes is currently at home with WWE, despite his injury, Cody truly made a name for himself within AEW. He was the first three-time TNT Champion, as well as one of the most prominent All Elite stars inside and outside the promotion, meaning many stars will likely miss his presence.
During an exclusive interview with the legendary Bill Apter, Powerhouse Hobbs was asked about how he joined AEW. In response, the star detailed how Cody Rhodes and QT Marshall approached him.
"A friend of mine, promoter Marcus Mack, actually got contacted by Cody Rhodes and QT Marshall. So I got a text that I sat on for a few hours from QT Marshall saying ‘Hey we’d like to bring you in, are you local to Jacksonville?’ I told QT I’m not local, but I’ll find my way to Jacksonville and everything took off from there," said Hobbs. [From 02:06 onward]
Powerhouse Hobbs is currently embroiled in a heated feud with his former tag-team partner, Ricky Starks, as the two are seemingly going back and forth for the time being.
Check out the full interview below:
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Despite bringing stars like Powerhouse Hobbs, a former WWE Champion believes that Cody Rhodes was unknown before his stint with AEW
The American Nightmare might have been a top player in AEW, but before his stint on the Indies, ROH, and NJPW, he was mainly remembered as the poorly-received Stardust and a mid-card performer.
While some fans might disagree, this is a sentiment Chris Jericho apparently shares, as he detailed during his appearance on AEW Unrestricted.
"No-one really knew Cody at that point. He’d been gone for years; the last time we’d seen him, he was Stardust. They [AEW EVPs] were worldwide stars, but when it comes to national TV in the States, they didn’t have any experience with that," said Jericho. [H/T: InsideTheRopes]
Two years ago today, Cody Rhodes was the first person to appear on #AEW television after the Covid-19 shutdown. https://t.co/SYLlDbRibF
Regardless of his achievements before AEW, Cody Rhodes is definitely one of the biggest names in the industry, based solely off of the reaction to his WWE WrestleMania return. But could he have been far bigger if he had stayed with AEW? Sounds off in the comments section below!