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Jim Cornette recently weighed in on rumors of Cody Rhodes potentially returning to WWE. The American Nightmare has become the talk of the wrestling world since he and wife Brandi shockingly parted ways with AEW last week.
Immediately after the couple's departure, rumors began surfacing that the 36-year-old had held talks with Vince McMahon regarding a potential return to the promotion.
With WrestleMania 38 right around the corner, fans have been wondering what role a returning Cody Rhodes will play in the company that overlooked him years ago.
While speaking on his Jim Cornette Experience podcast, the legendary manager downplayed the hype surrounding the The American Nightmare's impending return to WWE. Cornette doesn't think McMahon will push Cody to the moon.
"But do you think that they're gonna hire a guy who was a champion in AEW, who was one of the top guys and has a number of victories over some of the others and push him to the moon and have him start beating the major players in the WWE? I don't think so," Cornette said. (23:10)
Jim Cornette shared his belief that Cody Rhodes will be a well-paid upper mid-card performer with WWE. He also dismissed the possibility of the company putting The American Nightmare over against megastars like Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns.
"I think Cody's gonna be a very well paid upper mid-card guy because they want the information, and they want the visual, the optic, but also they're gonna want to get to work on the card. He's not gonna be the be-all and end-all of their problems on the card, and they're not gonna have an AEW guy going there to get any victories over Roman Reigns or Brock Lesnar or Bobby Lashley anytime soon." (23: 27)
Cody Rhodes had an underwhelming run with WWE from 2006 to 2016. However, his exit from the global juggernaut turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as he became a revolutionary in the pro wrestling business.
During his time away from Vince McMahon's sphere, Rhodes has turned into the very definition of a forbidden door and helped shape the current pro wrestling industry.
Will Cody Rhodes return to WWE on the road to WrestleMania 38?
Rumors have suggested that Vince McMahon is keen to push Cody Rhodes, and it's possible he could compete in a marquee match at WrestleMania 38. However, there's no clear answer as to who the former AEW star would face.
Interestingly enough, Brock Lesnar regaining the WWE Championship at Elimination Chamber has left several top RAW Superstars without an apparent direction heading into The Showcase of the Immortals. The Road to WrestleMania is fairly open for Seth Rollins and AJ Styles, among others.
The American Nightmare could be the first-choice opponent for these men if he has indeed agreed to a deal with Vince McMahon.
(If you use any quotes from this article, please give a h/t to Sportskeeda Wrestling)
