Kenny Omega Says It’s Possible Cody Wasn’t ‘Good Fit’ In AEW, Says He Had Different Vision

In a recent interview with the Wrestling Observer (h/t WrestlingInc), Kenny Omega spoke about Cody Rhodes leaving AEW, how shocking it was, Cody’s vision differing from the vision he and the Young Bucks had, whether Cody was a “good fit” in AEW, and more. Highlights from the interview are below.

On being shocked about Cody’s departure from AEW: “Everyone was shocked. Yeah, I mean, wrestling is — we all know when our deals are up, especially the EVPs, like, we know when our deals are up. Especially in the case of The Bucks, they know when their options kick in, for myself I don’t have a deal like that, because you know I’m up next year, just straight up done. So I’d have to re-sign a new one, there’s no option. We knew Cody, as much like The Bucks, this was that time. And when we would hear that, you know, there’s possibly some difficulty with the renegotiation or whatever, it was almost like you never think it’s gonna go in that direction where the talent is going to opt for leaving.

“Especially since when this thing first started, I would say the most passionate person about our revolution, the most passionate person about creating kind of an ‘us versus them’ mentality, that was Cody. So it was strange for him just to choose to up and walk away. However, that being said, you know feelings change. The environment around you is ever-changing, it’s constantly changing, and maybe the mission statement or the goal, or the revolution, or whatever you were searching for and trying to create, maybe that isn’t what it is anymore to you. Maybe that isn’t your inspiration or what gets you out of bed every day.”

On Cody’s vision for AEW possibly not fitting with the vision he and the Young Bucks have: “I’m guessing that knowing Cody as well as I know him, I don’t really think it was an issue of money. I don’t think it was Tony not showing him enough cash to keep him invested with the company. Cody, he really believed in the vision, in the original vision that he brought to the table for AEW.”

“And maybe, in the end, we had The Bucks and their vision, we had my vision, and then we had Cody’s vision, and all of our visions were different from one another. And I would say mine was more similar to what The Bucks had envisioned and Cody’s was out there, it was much different. You’re gonna get that I think when, finally, you’ve committed your life to an industry, to a business, and finally, someone goes, ‘Okay, you’ve done this job all your life, you’ve been raised into this business with these shackles on you, to a degree, by someone or something. Now those are off, you’ve got carte blanche, what is it you want to do?’ And I can understand there might be some heartbreak if you were promised that or told that and it doesn’t come to fruition. I get it.”

On AEW perhaps not being a good fit for Cody anymore: “It’s essentially now just Tony’s show and, of course, he’s going to listen to our advice and take our suggestions to heart, but AEW is very much Tony’s thing, Tony’s baby, and we’re there to support it in any way that we can.

“And it’s very possible that this current version of AEW just wasn’t a good fit for Cody, to Cody. For me, you know, I feel like he was one of the original four and there’s always gonna be a place for him. You saw it in his ladder match with Sammy [Guevara], he’s got incredible utility and he’s able to help our younger talent. So it’s nothing from an in-ring perspective – there’s no issues there.”