AEW Executive Vice President Cody Rhodes hosted a media call today to promote Sunday’s AEW Double Or Nothing pay-per-view, as well as tomorrow night’s AEW Dynamite go-home show.
You can click here for our earlier report on Cody’s comments about the rumors of heat between he and the other EVPs. Below are more highlights from the call:
* Rhodes said he is excited for the new AEW Rampage show that debuts in August. AEW has a large roster and they are looking to expand the roster. They want to get some wrestlers off the bench and give them more opportunities. Rampage will compliment Dynamite
* He considers Anthony Ogogo to be AEW’s first developmental wrestler. Diamond Dallas Page introduced them, and QT Marshall has trained Ogogo. He hopes they have a great showing on Sunday at Double Or Nothing
* Cody said mentoring talent at the Nightmare Factory has honed his patience, and has been one of the most rewarding experiences. He joked to not tell his wife, but said training talent there has prepared him for fatherhood
* He talked about the locker room energy as they prepare to welcome crowds again and said he wouldn’t be surprised if there are tears from the wrestlers. He said there have been some high spots to the pandemic era but it’s time to get fans back in the crowds,, and he can’t wait for it. Everyone backstage is ready to have a full house at the pay-per-view and beyond this weekend
* Rampage will be treated with the came care as Dynamite, and is not intended to be a second show. He said Dynamite and Rampage will not be competing shows. The roster will be split. The quarterly super-specials on TNT that begin in 2022 will feature converging stories and will be like Clash of Champions or Saturday Night’s Main Event were. He’s also excited to feature various indie talents as they travel to different markets, and continue to produce Dark and Dark: Elevation
* He talked about AEW going back on the road and said they will do everything by the books, always complying with local guidelines. He said they will have some major touring announcements coming soon
* He’s most looking forward to Eddie Kingston and Jon Moxley vs. World Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks at Double Or Nothing
* He praised Sting and can’t wait to see Sting make his entrance at Double Or Nothing for the match with Darby Allin against Ethan Page and Scorpio Sky, noting that he gets to be a kid again watching Sting’s entrance from backstage. He said Sting is very motivated these days and takes his AEW run seriously
* They have not discussed a possible TBS Title for the network move next year. They have talked about introducing another title, and it sounds like that would be the six-man tag team titles. He recently said AEW will keep the TNT Title next year, and noted here that WarnerMedia pushed for them to create the TNT Title so AEW could represent the network
* He’s aware of his own numbers and his reach with fans, and remains humbled by the level of fans he has after chasing them for more than a decade before realizing there was some noise made there
* Cody mentioned that he wants to keep the promise he made last year when per the stipulation, he can no longer challenge for the AEW World Title. As a brand and a person he wants to keep that promise. He is happy with his current direction in the storylines
Stay tuned for more.
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