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Cody Rhodes leaving AEW: Is WWE return inevitable?

By Scott Rogust

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - FEBRUARY 09: Cody Rhodes of All Elite Wrestling (AEW) attends New York Knicks vs Atlanta Hawks game at State Farm Arena on February 09, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin#SPORT/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - FEBRUARY 09: Cody Rhodes of All Elite Wrestling (AEW) attends New York Knicks vs Atlanta Hawks game at State Farm Arena on February 09, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin#SPORT/Getty Images) /
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On Tuesday morning, it was revealed that Cody and Brandi Rhodes were leaving All Elite Wrestling.

If you thought nothing could top the “Stone Cold” Steve Austin-WrestleMania news from Monday night, you just had to wait less than a day for a huge bombshell to drop in All Elite Wrestling.

AEW announced on Tuesday, Feb. 15 that Cody Rhodes and his wife, Brandi Rhodes, are officially departing the company. CEO and president Tony Khan released the following statement regarding the duo’s departure from the company.

The Rhodes’ also released additional statements, which you can read them in their tweets below:

So what is next for Rhodes now that he is a free agent?

Cody Rhodes in talks to return to WWE?

According to Ariel Helwani of BT Sport, Cody Rhodes has been in talks with WWE about returning “in the near future.”

Rhodes was previously with WWE back in 2006, making his debut on the main roster in 2007. During his lengthy tenure with the company, Rhodes won the Intercontinental Championship twice, the WWE Tag Team Championship three times and the World Tag Team Championship twice. In 2016, Rhodes requested his release from WWE, which was granted.

Following Rhodes’ departure from WWE, he spent time with Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro Wrestling before he joined All Elite Wrestling as an executive vice president during their launch.

During his tenure with AEW, Rhodes won the TNT Championship three times. Officially, his final match came at Beach Break on Jan. 26, where he lost to Sammy Guevara in a ladder match for the undisputed TNT Championship.

With a return to WWE seemingly likely, it will remain to be seen what the creative plans for him will be. Let’s not forget that WrestleMania 38 is less than two months away, and it would be hard to imagine Rhodes not being on the show if they are to agree to terms on a new contract shortly.

Fightful Select’s Sean Ross Sapp (paywall) was first to report weeks ago that Rhodes’ contract with AEW was up.

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