Cody Rhodes Responds to CM Punk’s Comments on AEW, Says He’s Proud of What He & EVPs Built

– During an interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour earlier today, WWE Superstar Cody Rhodes addressed the scathing comments by former AEW star and World Champion CM Punk regarding AEW, company head Tony Khan, and his litany of backstage issues. Below are some highlights (via Fightful):

Cody Rhodes on CM Punk’s assessment of AEW: “That’s his assessment. It’s not my assessment. It’s important for me to remind people that I am so proud of what me, Matt, Nick, Kenny, Tony, Bernie, Brandi, Dana, and Chris. I name all these people because I was in those meetings. As much as the internet will try to spin a narrative one way. If one of those people had not been at that start-up level, the company would not have happened. I am so proud of what was created,” he said. “I am so insanely proud of what it does for the industry overall, for wrestlers and their well-being, and their ability to feed their families. I have an unbelievable love for so many people in that locker room, including the Bucks and Kenny. We’re bonded forever over this thing that we did. It’s not my assessment. In my time there, the infrastructure was just being built up. We were trying new things and doing new things. It was a start-up company. A big-time start-up company, but a start-up company. I wish them nothing but the best.”

On note foreseeing the issues with Punk, but expecting issues between newer stars: “I don’t think I foresaw any of those issues. I did kind of predict, it was unrelated to those guys, but I do remember predicting that there were going to be certain guys who had been there, who wanted to wave the banner, ‘Hey, you’ve not been here,’ and then brand new guys, you always need fresh blood, like Punk coming back to WWE is a great call. I think those always would mesh.”

On what happened in AEW being the result of misunderstandings and miscommunications: I just think what happened there is a ton of misunderstanding, a ton of miscommunication. You will see on indies and wrestlers that aren’t properly trained. I’m not talking about bullying etiquette, but you do need to have a little old school in you to know the collaborativeness of what this is. I think they were ships in the night. I love Matt, Nick, and Kenny, and I love CM Punk. I don’t know how, but I do. I’m happy for everyone involved. I think it was a ships in the night thing. I wasn’t there though.”

Cody Rhodes previously left AEW in early 2022, later returning to WWE a short time later at WrestleMania 38. This weekend, he will challenge Roman Reigns for the Undispued Universal Championship on Sunday, April 7 at WrestleMania 40: Night 2. On Night 1, he and Seth Rollins will team up against Reigns and The Rock. Both nights will be held at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. It will be broadcast live on Peacock.