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Cody Rhodes' jump to WWE was once considered a brutal blow to AEW and set the promotion's future in doubt. In hindsight of the massive shift backstage, top AEW star MJF recently spoke out on the debacle.
During AEW's early days, Rhodes was a top babyface and quickly rose to prominence. Unfortunately, the American Nightmare was on the receiving end of thunderous boos during his final days in AEW. While never confirmed as a reason for his departure, many fans online believe that might have played a large role.
While speaking to Ariel Helwani during the recent MMA Hour episode, AEW's MJF praised Rhodes and justified his jump to WWE.
"I don't blame Cody Rhodes for his decision (of going to WWE), Cody Rhodes did what was best for Cody Rhodes," MJF said. "You have to give [him] full credit. He helped build the legacy of AEW." (H/T: ProWrestlingFinesse)
The Salt of the Earth and The American Nightmare went toe-to-toe early on during their time in the promotion. Friedman's victory over Rhodes initially set the star up as a prominent heel within AEW.
MJF is currently gearing up for a massive battle against whoever wins tomorrow night's AEW World Championship Tournament.
Missed out on AEW Rampage? Catch up on the show's results here.
Chris Jericho recently addressed Cody Rhodes' decision to never challenge for the AEW World Championship
Despite being a major star within AEW, The American Nightmare vowed early on not to go after the World Championship. This was likely due to his EVP status and Rhodes wanting to "prove" himself to the fans.
During a recent episode of Talk is Jericho, the inaugural AEW World Champion tried to reason with Cody's decision.
“He was adamant. I’m still not too sure why he put that rule that he can never challenge for the world title again. For whatever reason, that was completely his idea. I guess maybe he wanted people to know that he wasn’t just gonna win the title. He wanted to be the face of the company," Jericho said. (H/T: SEScoops)
The former AEW EVP is reportedly set to receive a massive push within WWE upon his return. Despite this and any other success in WWE, could Rhodes ever return and capture the AEW World Championship?
