"They were so hateable" - Vince Russo on why Cody Rhodes was hated by AEW fans (Exclusive)
Former WWE and WCW writer Vince Russo has voiced his opinion on why Cody Rhodes' character in AEW didn't work, claiming that he did not connect with the fans for a variety of reasons.
Cody departed AEW along with his wife Brandi Rhodes in February 2022 after he spent three years with the company he helped found. However, during the second half of his run, Cody was subject to a lot of backlash from fans. Large portions of the audience booed The American Nightmare in the months leading up to his departure.
Speaking on the "Writing with Russo" show with Dr. Chris Featherstone, Vince Russo claimed that Cody's gimmick didn't mesh with the fans due to a combination of arrogance and the way it represented wealth.
"They were so hateable to the point where I was like, ‘Guys I hope you’re working an angle” because this is not good," said Russo. "But I don’t think it was an angle bro, and I really think that worked against them." [7:48-8:05]
Russo also stated that Rhodes' goal of becoming a mainstream star throughout his reality TV career made the fans disconnect from Cody.
"It was bad because I was like ‘Guys what are you doing? Like that’s not your audience and they’re going to hate you," Russo continued. [8:47-8:55]
You can hear more on what Vince Russo had to say about Cody Rhodes and more right here:
What is Cody Rhodes' next move?
The wrestling world continues to wonder what Cody Rhodes will do in his post-AEW career. Many believed that he was bound for WWE, with speculation suggesting that he would appear at the Elimination Chamber event in Saudi Arabia. Some fans predicted he would show up at the Madison Square Garden house show this past Saturday. However, neither of these scenarios came to pass.
Thank you Cody and Brandi Rhodes https://t.co/tkDvVpnrrE
Cody has been absent from the wrestling world since his AEW departure, and no one except the man himself knows what he'll do next. But what do you think the future holds for the former TNT Champion? Let us know in the comments section down below!
Please credit Writing with Russo and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use the quotes from this article.