Former All Elite Wrestling EVP Cody Rhodes made a huge return to WWE back at WrestleMania, but Warner Media tried to intervene.
According to a new report from Fightful Select, Warner Bros Discovery actually tried to stop him from leaving due to his star power and ongoing projects.
“In speaking with Warner Bros Discovery sources, we’re told that several efforts were made within the company to retain Cody Rhodes in AEW” the site claimed.
Cody Rhodes WWE Return
“Between AEW, Rhodes to the Top and Go Big Show, Rhodes had developed a good rapport with several in WarnerMedia at the time.
“We’re told that the Cody Rhodes WWE deal wasn’t official until a few weeks before WrestleMania, even though WWE considered it a foregone conclusion” it was revealed.
“As a result, after the merger of Warner Bros. Discovery, there were inquiries in the company completely separate of AEW to gauge Rhodes’ interest in staying” Fightful added.
“Among those that we’re told that made an effort to reach out to Rhodes was Sam Linskey, who serves as Associate General Manager and Senior Vice President of Scripted Original programming for TNT, TBS and TruTv. We’ve heard that there wasn’t any ill will between either side, and Rhodes had told those who asked that it was ‘time to leave the territory'” the site concluded.
It would’ve been a major move from AEW and WarnerMedia to keep Cody on the books, but his move back to WWE is still one of the biggest moments of the year.
