Here's your wrestling news for February 16th 2022
And your headlines for today include
Cody and Brandi Rhodes Leave AEW In Shocking Departure!
WWE response to Cody and Brandi leaving. Will they return to Vince McMahon’s company?
More details on Cody and Brandi in their last weeks with AEW. Roster thought it wasn’t real
New NXT show confirmed! Expected to replace 205 Live
Ring of Honor talent makes NXT debut at latest tapings
Is the Rock returning to WWE following role as Super Bowl 56 host?
WWE Hall of Famer hits out at Bayley! Possible feud in the works And more
We’re kicking off today with some huge news from AEW, as after founding the company 3 years ago, Cody and Brandi Rhodes are no-longer All-Elite.
It had previously been reported that Cody was working without a contract after his last deal expired at the end of 2021, which was
confirmed by the man himself after his AEW TNT Title Ladder match with Sammy Guevara. In a statement, AEW President broke the news,
saying that the power-couple were integral to the launch of AEW, and acknowledged the pair’s work with community outreach programs tha
benefitted the company. Khan ended his statement by saying he has immense respect and appreciation for Cody
and Brandi, and wishes them both the best in whatever they do next. In a statement of his own, Cody praised the AEW
locker room and fans, saying that they were part of a wrestling revolution, and thanked Tony Khan for his support.
Brandi shared a similar sentiment with her own statement, and it’s presumed that her role as Chief Brand Officer, and Cody’s role as Executive
Vice President will be filled in the coming months. For the past few months, Cody had been receiving more boos from cheers from the crowd, and was
seemingly on the cusp of a heel turn, and while that never happened in AEW, everyone is interested to see what he and Brandi do next
There’s no word yet on if Cody and Brandi have any non-compete clause to their names, such as those Superstars who leave WWE, but there’s
already interest in the former TNT Champion. On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer reported that WWE are interested in bringing
Cody back and some In the company believe that this will happen very soon. Meltzer didn’t note if WWE are interested in Brandi,
who worked for the company as Eden Stiles before her departure in 2016, but said there is “the potential of something happening there.”
Before AEW, Cody had a successful career in WWE, capturing tag titles with Hardcore Holly, Ted DiBiase Jr and Drew McIntyre,
as well as two reigns as Intercontinental Champion. Leaving after being frustrated with the Stardust
character, there was a time where it seemed impossible that Cody would ever return, but it may be just a matter of time before he’s Dashing
once more.
Losing Cody and Brandi is a huge blow for AEW, but it appears that the locker-room is already getting used to the power-couple not being around.
According to Fightful, neither were backstage in Atlantic City for last week’s Dynamite, which led to talk behind the scenes of their status with the
company
Although many within AEW believed it to be a work and part of Cody's constantly-teased heel turn, everyone later realized it was very real.
Fightful adds that Cody tried to downplay the situation, saying he was simply negotiating a new deal with AEW as recently as last weekend,
and that his departure is seen as a huge loss to several production employees, since Cody often "went to bat for them."
Addressing what this means for Rhodes to the Top, the reality series about Cody and Brandi, Fightful denied reports that a second season has
been confirmed, stating that no filming has taken place recently. AEW is reportedly hopeful that WarnerMedia will
film shows with other wrestlers, as Darby Allin has been filmed as of late, but whatever happens, the All-Elite promotion won’t have Rhodes to the
Top to promote their content anymore.
WWE is evidently interested in bringing Cody Rhodes back to the company, and it appears that Cody is ready to talk with WWE to negotiate a deal.
That’s according to Andrew Zarian of the Mat Men Pro Wrestling Podcast, who reports that ‘Cody’s Camp’ has been in contact with WWE officials.
We don’t know how far these talks have gone, but signing the three-time TNT Champion would be a massive win for WWE, and could prove to be
the most shocking moments on the road to WrestleMania 38. Ultimately, it’ll be Cody’s decision as to whether
he returns to WWE six years after leaving to prove himself, but if he does, it’ll prove to be one of the most shocking returns in recent years
Earlier this week, we reported that WWE had filed a trademark for a new show ‘NXT Level Up’ and the company has not waited long to announce
their newest project.
Before last night’s NXT Vengeance Day, the paint- splattered brand filmed their first taping of NXT Level Up, which will replace 205 Live.
PW Insider reports that the decision for 205 Live to come to an end was made official this week, but WWE had been planning major changes to the
cruiserweight brand for quite some time.
On-screen, Joe Gacy has been the one to bring about the changes to 205 Live, and promised many more changes after defeating Xyon Quinn
last Friday night. Although WWE has not confirmed NXT Level Up yet, it’s believed the show will fill 205 Live’s spot
on the Friday night at 10pm timeslot on the WWE Network and Peacock. WWE may have kicked off 205 Live in a big way
in 2016, but the company, and fans quickly lost interest, and after 296 episodes, its time for a brand new show in WWE
NXT Next Level hasn’t aired yet, but we do know that a recognisable name will be on the show in a non-wrestling role.
It was last week that we reported on WWE filing a trademark for the name Kelly Kincaid, and it turns out that this name will be used by former ROH
talent Quinn McKay.
McKay, now Kincaid, worked as the ring announcer for NXT Level Up, after previously working for Ring of Honor as a backstage correspondant.
At the very end of her tenure with ROH, Kincaid competed in several matches, but there’s no word on if she’ll do the same for WWE.
Kincaid worked for ROH before their hiatus last December, and although Ring of Honor will return this April, they’ll have to do so without their
backstage correspondent turned wrestler.
For the past few years, WWE hasn’t exactly been subtle in their attempts to bring the Rock back to wrestling, even having last year’s Survivor Series
be a celebration of the Great One. That event went ahead without an appearance by The Brahma Bull, but now The Rock’s recent
role at the Superbowl may be the lead-In n for his long-awaited return to the company. Introducing the game between the Cincinnati
Bengals and the Los Angeles Rams last Sunday, The Rock used some of his wrestling catchphrases, saying that ‘finally’ the Super Bowl has come back to
Los Angeles, and mentioned “the millions” of fans watching around the world. When asked by a fan on Twitter about these lines,
The Brahma Bull confirmed that they were “Easter eggs” in nod to his WWE career, and promised that ‘The Millions’ line will be used again very soon.
With the XFL not set to launch for another year, many believe this is referencing a WWE return, possibly as soon as this April’s WrestleMania 38,
and time will tell when the Millions (and Millions) of the Rock’s fans see him next.
And we’re ending today with news from Bayley, who hasn’t competed since her June 2021, as she suffered a serious injury during training that’s
kept her on the shelf ever since. Bayley may not have been around in months, but that’s not stopped her getting blamed for things,
as on Twitter, WWE Hall of Famer Beth Phoenix says she blames the Role Model, but didn’t explain what for.
Going by the responses, fans had no idea what the Glamazon is blaming Bayley for, or if this is the set- up for some feud between the two.
Bayley and Phoenix have squared off In the past, as they were in the fatal-four-way Women’s Tag Title match at WrestleMania 35 which was won by the
IIconics, but now the two could be gearing up for a singles feud once the former SmackDown Women’s Champion is healed.