Cody Rhodes’ ascension to the main event scene is wildly impressive considering the journey it took to reach those heights.
Rhodes has become a WrestleMania main eventer during his second stint with WWE, but he was languishing in the mid-card before he asked for his release in 2016.
The star struggled to assert himself in WWE as a youngster, which forced him to re-establish himself on the independent scene and in AEW.
Rhodes has revealed the exceptionally painful moment he knew he had to leave WWE, which came all the way back in 2013.
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Cody Rhodes wanted ‘out’ of WWE after his WrestleMania match was cut
Rhodes suffered the severe embarrassment of having his WrestleMania 29 match cut at the last minute in 2013.
The American Nightmare was scheduled to team with Damien Sandow and The Bella Twins against Tons of Funk and The Funkadactyls, but the match was cut due to other bouts going too long.
“So, my walk of shame is a little different,” Rhodes said on his podcast with Nikki Bella about having his WrestleMania 29 match cut minutes before it was set to happen.
“I was so angry, and at that point, I think that’s the first moment where I was like, ‘I’m out. I am out,’ added Rhodes.
“Out didn’t come till years later but I thought, no, I’m out,” continued Rhodes. “Ah man, I can’t believe that match got cut in Gorilla.”
Rhodes would not leave for a further three years, but this is the moment where the seeds were sown for him to make wrestling history with AEW.
Cody Rhodes was thinking about other professions after WrestleMania 29
Rhodes’ match getting cut had such a severe effect on his confidence that the American Nightmare actually thought about quitting the business for good.
“I had completely given up on entertainment, on ever making it,” said Rhodes in the same interview about his lowest point in WWE.
“I was very pity party,” added the American Nightmare. “Feel sorry for myself, all those things. Couldn’t get a look left or right.”
It’s been a long journey back for Rhodes, but within a decade he returned to WWE and became one of their biggest stars.