Why did Cody Rhodes leave WWE for 6 years? Tensions behind departure revealed

Cody Rhodes departed WWE in 2016, ending his decades-long run with the company. He then went on to become one of the biggest wrestling acts, which may have been one reason why he left in the first place.

Before Cody's departure in 2016, he began playing the role of Stardust, a character similar to his brother's Goldust persona. Cody's character sported face paint and a bodysuit that mainly resembled a comic book supervillain. However, this character didn't work out well for him.

As previously shared, Cody Rhodes was frustrated with pitching ideas to WWE creative. The Stardust character didn't help either, as he said in the past how much he disliked portraying it.

However, in an interview with Bleacher Report in 2019, Cody Rhodes revealed that he didn't blame the Stamford-based promotion. The RAW star stated that at the time, he wasn't doing enough work.

"What happened to me at the end of my career in WWE is not WWE's fault at all. Totally mine. It really is. I wasn't ready for the role I thought I was ready for. If you want to be John Cena, you got to do the exact same amount of work he does. And that's a lot of work. I wasn't doing the work that I should have been doing."

Rhodes was one of the brains who built AEW in 2019, WWE's most serious competition in recent years. The former EVP returned to the company on WrestleMania 38. Cody is scheduled for a must-see match against Roman Reigns at this year's April Premium Live Event.

Cody Rhodes reveals what he requested prior to his WWE return

The 2023 Men's Royal Rumble winner is a completely different wrestler from when he left. He impressed wrestling fans across the world and built his own image and gave birth to The American Nightmare. As it turns out, Cody Rhodes made sure that all of it was retained for his second run in WWE.

In an interview with HOT 97, Cody Rhodes revealed that he didn't want to change anything about himself. He wanted his logo to remain as his neck tattoo and his entrance.

"I was really, you know, I stood my ground. I said, 'I don't wanna change a thing about myself, including my song. I wanna have my elevator. I want all this.' And he (Vince McMahon) said something. He goes, 'well, that's what we're buying. It's not broke.' And I thought, 'that feels good.' because I hadn't figured it out when I was here the first time. Everything was broke. And that was a nice feeling,"

It's a good thing that for Cody Rhodes' second run in WWE, not only is he being booked the way he wants to but has mended his relationship with people in the company.