Smoke And Mirrors: The Future Of Cody And Brandi

In this edition of The Wrestling Estate roundtable, we predict the future of Cody and Brandi.

How do you feel about Cody leaving AEW?

Chad Gelfand: Cody seemed to have a lot more stories to tell in AEW, but he refused to turn heel and was wrapped up in the “Codyverse” for far too long. The direction the company is moving feels more and more like Cody would be lost in the shuffle, so ultimately getting a fresh start might be good for both parties.

Juan Bautista: It’s not shocking that he’s done with AEW, but surprising it happened this way. Whenever his contract gets revealed like Hulk Hogan’s did a few years back, I guess we’ll find out what happened.

Steven Jackson: I was shocked when I heard Cody had left AEW. I never would have imagined Cody leaving the house he helped to build. But as we know in life, things change. Cody’s reasons for leaving will be justified to me. I’m a huge fan of Cody, so I wish him all the success wherever life takes him next.

John Corrigan: I can’t believe it. It makes no sense! He’s a made man in AEW. Even if Tony Khan has complete booking power, Cody was still an EVP and a top guy. His refusal to turn heel has been fascinating and you were glued to the screen whenever he appeared. Now, he’s left all that to go be miserable again in WWE? I hope the money’s worth it.

Jack Goodwillie: Better than most. Make no mistake, this is a massive get for WWE, and a chance for both Cody and company to have a clean slate and for WWE to treat him like the star he ought to be treated as. WWE isn’t going to be paying him the $3-$5 million dollars it’ll take to have him just to sit his ass in catering or have him play Stardust. Cody will be a featured player and can definitely give WWE something akin to Roman Reigns. As much as I won’t hesitate to kick WWE when it’s down and lampoon it for all the dumb stunts pulled inside and outside the ring, it’s still the No. 1 company and probably always will be. There is just simply too much incentive for Cody to fail without having at least a modicum of success first, and given the dearth of stars on Raw and SmackDown right now, a head of steam should be enough to keep him atop most WWE cards – if he is, in fact, signing there.

How do you feel about Brandi leaving AEW?

Gelfand: Brandi never found her footing on screen in AEW. She seemed to do a lot behind the scenes in her CBO role, but on screen it never clicked.

Bautista: I hope she enjoys being a mom, but other than that, AEW isn’t going to be missing much.

Jackson: Very much the same as Cody leaving AEW. Brandi leaving AEW is huge blow to the company. Brandi is a wonderful ambassador for young businesswomen. Like her husband, Brandi will have had her reasons for leaving, and upon the recent birth of their daughter, I’m sure both their commitments have changed a lot. As with Cody, I’m a huge fan of Brandi and wish her all the success wherever life takes her next.

Corrigan: This makes even less sense than Cody leaving. Brandi was a figurehead and a truly reviled character. Her segments, especially as of late, were must-see TV in a Jerry Springer way that’s missing from pro wrestling. Now, she’s left, but unlike Cody, apparently isn’t going to WWE. So, where is she going? Why couldn’t she stay in AEW? I need answers, damnit!

Goodwillie: Who cares besides Dan Lambert? If I could be serious for a moment, if this is the end of Brandi as an on-screen wrestling character, similar to Cody, a huge opportunity may have been missed because she and prime Vickie Guerrero can draw a similar level of heat. The problem was, Brandi seems to have had this obsession with being liked, and part of getting older means accepting the fact that you’re not going to be everybody’s cup of tea. If she wasn’t so much… herself, Brandi Rhodes dialed down to a 4 or 5, maybe she could have had more staying power as “Chief Brandi Officer,” but as it stands, it doesn’t seem like she’s going to be missed too much by anyone. I wouldn’t sweat it if I were her, though. After all, wrestling was never her “end all, be all,” as much as it was something she just kind of fell into.

Is there any Cody match you feel we missed out on in AEW?

Gelfand: If Cody turned heel, a feud with “Hangman” Adam Page would have been great. I’m already picturing the kick ass Texas Bullrope match that would have inevitably resulted.

Bautista: Cody vs. CM Punk. It’s surprising that this match probably won’t happen. It makes the quote from the CM Punk/ MJF confrontation have even more meaning: “If you think the grass is greener on the other side, be my guest. Go ahead, leave, go main event night 4 of a buy one, get one free extravaganza and get released faster than you lasted in the sack.”

Jackson: There are very few. Cody wrestled his heart out in AEW against everyone on the roster. The only two men that come to mind are Adam Page and Kenny Omega. Outside of those two, Cody had a fantastic array of matches.

Corrigan: Bryan Danielson. CM Punk. Adam Cole. Kenny Omega. Hangman Page. Any of those could have been a pay-per-view main event. Oh well, maybe we can finally get the Matt Tremont match.

Goodwillie: It’s tough to name just one, because let’s face it, Cody’s AEW run was filled with what, at the time, was the best of the best in the company. Feuds with Chris Jericho, Brodie Lee, Darby Allin, Lance Archer and MJF monopolized most of his time, plus the much-maligned Anthony Ogogo feud. Would matches with CM Punk, Bryan Danielson and Adam Cole have been cool? For sure, but there are still plenty of guys for that group to work with. My non-answer here kind of illustrates the fact that it might be a shrewd move for Cody to zig while everybody else is zagging.

If you could choose anywhere for Cody to go, where would it be?

Gelfand: WWE. Cody is the type of wrestler that needs a big stage with pomp and circumstance and now that he’s seemingly gone from AEW, WWE seems like the only place that could satisfy his grandiose desires.

Bautista: It’s not WWE. Maybe the independents and possibly finish up business in the NWA and then go have feuds with people in GCW.

Jackson: The obvious answer is NJPW, but I never really felt Cody fit the New Japan style. With his and Brandi’s family beginning to grow, I’d really like to see them go to the NWA.

Corrigan: I have no faith in WWE, but that’s the only interesting destination for Cody. Impact is a dead zone. MLW can’t afford him. He’s too big for the NWA. And this year’s ECWA Super 8 slots have all been filled!

Goodwillie: It’s WWE, hands down. Given all Cody has said (and done) regarding WWE since getting his release six years ago, the fact that we are on the precipice of him returning to WWE AND possibly coming in on top of even his former mentor Randy Orton is nothing short of amazing. Whether Cody hits or flops in WWE, it will be must-see regardless, and WWE isn’t really in a place to be picky when it comes to compelling television between 8pm and 11pm on Monday nights.

If Cody indeed ends up in WWE, predict how his run will go for the next six months to a year.

Gelfand: Cody will actually get a good push initially since he would be the first major defection from AEW and WWE wants to make a good impression on possible future AEW signings.

Bautista: Unless WWE is prepared to give him as much creative control as it gave Hulk Hogan, he will have the IC belt and be a high midcard wrestler.

Jackson: Predicting Cody’s run in WWE is a tall order. I don’t watch WWE, so it’s even harder to predict. But I would like Cody to come back with an aura similar to that of Drew McIntrye. Huge ovation and take over the company organically, leading into some awesome matches. I can’t be the only one who would love to see Cody Rhodes vs. AJ Styles!

Corrigan: Jobbing to Seth Rollins at SummerSlam. There’s no way Cody is treated like a big deal in WWE. Hell, hardly anybody is! We’ve seen this story a hundred times. Vinnie Mac holds grudges and Cody will end up regretting this move within a couple months.

Goodwillie: Cody comes in as a face, essentially the same character he portrayed in AEW and has a very inoffensive WrestleMania match against Sami Zayn that likely nets him the Intercontinental Championship. You may be thinking that the Intercontinental Championship doesn’t get anyone over, and you would be right to think that, but if the WWE Championship remains unified past Mania, it will give a small bump to the midcard belts and Cody has shown in the past he has no problem taking on the burden of a midcard championship and giving it a whole new meaning.

The ensuing program will probably be with someone like The Miz or Randy Orton, and from there he can slowly begin an actual heel turn that will eventually make him Roman Reigns “Red” (or blue if Reigns moves to Raw). I wouldn’t want Cody or Roman to touch for the year, instead opting to build them separately albeit similarly, but if WWE is feeling keen on turning Reigns face in a year’s time, that may be the match to make for WrestleMania in LA if the pipedream choices don’t pan out.