Booker T weighed in on Cody Rhodes’ decision to leave AEW during the latest Hall Of Fame podcast and rumors that Rhodes could be returning to WWE. Here are the highlights:
The move:
“I don’t know how big of a deal this is going to be,” he admitted. “I am not going to sit here and put myself in that position to say, ‘it will be the greatest thing in the world if Cody came back.’ But I think if we get Cody back, we’re just getting Cody back. We’re not getting one from AEW. That’s just the way I look at it, I feel like we are just getting Cody back. How big of a deal is this going to be?
“He was Stardust when he left, who he is now. How is this going to work out from a money perspective? How much money is he going to want to come back? It’s a whole lot on the line here. As well as, when guys leave AEW, they’re going to be looking for a job. That place that they’re probably going to want to go to, is WWE.”
His belief that Rhodes could become a headliner in WWE:
“Cody coming back to WWE, he’s going to get paid probably equal to what he was making in AEW. That’s just on a downside perspective,” he admitted. “I am sure a lot of these guys that have gone over to AEW, like Mark Henry, and The Big Shows, and the Christians of the world, I am sure they’re getting a nice paycheck. But the royalties in WWE that you make, if you position yourself in a certain position like a Cody Rhodes would be in. He’s going to make more money off of that kind of stuff than he’s going to make in AEW if he was getting paid a salary. I am just speaking facts here.
“So Cody Rhodes is automatically making more money if he comes to WWE. Right off the bat, no matter what kind of contract he signs. Like you say, being positioned in a certain place on the card, you’re talking about the main event. You’re talking about working with Roman, working with Bobby? I think I can see Cody coming back and filling that position.”
Rhodes not returning to WWE as quickly as everyone thinks:
“The thing is, I am not doubting that it can happen. I am not doubting that Cody Rhodes can be back inside of a WWE ring, boom, just like that. But I don’t think this is going to be one of those Brian Kendrick situations. Where he leaves the company, and then the next day he’s going to be in a WWE ring. I don’t see that,” he added. “I know there’s a lot of rumor out there going around right now saying that he has been in talks with WWE. The thing is, he may have been, all the rumors may be true. But I just do not think we are going to see Cody Rhodes back inside of a WWE ring that quick.”
H/T to Wrestling Inc for the transcription
