Following his win at WrestleMania 38 Night One over Seth Rollins, Cody Rhodes spoke with Dave Shoemaker of The Ringer.
Rhodes discussed the process in his return back to WWE after being gone from the company since 2016.
He said that WWE Chairman Vince McMahon and WWE Senior VP Bruce Prichard gave him his flowers for his role in forming AEW.
Rhodes said several ‘high-placed’ officials in WWE were adamant about him using his AEW ring gear, theme music, pyro and persona. He said Vince told him that is what he (Vince) is buying. Rhodes said after he was told that, he felt vindicated. He went on to say that Nick Khan is one of the nicest guys he has ever met.
Rhodes said there was no bad blood in the best of ways when he left AEW, but that it was the easiest decision he ever made, and that it was just time. He also said he didn’t want to be a 15-time TNT Champion, or hold that title hostage, and that he maybe wants to “move on to another piece of leather.”
Rhodes confirmed that he had signed a full time, multi-year deal with WWE.
He said that this was closure on the first loop, and excitement for what’s next, and that he will talk about it on Raw. He further noted that he is back in WWE to carry out unfinished business for the Rhodes family.