DDP Shoots On AEW And Its Fans Not Appreciating Cody Rhodes

Cody Rhodes' AEW journey was unlike any other, going from a beloved babyface to being hated by the audience, and during the latest "DDP Snake Pit" podcast, DDP made it clear he doesn't think AEW "really appreciated him the way they should have," adding that he knows "the fans didn't." "I couldn't believe the guy who made all this happen, and he's the guy that made it happen, how they turned on him," DDP said. "After he took Darby to a 20 minute Broadway ... and put Max over and put over so many guys it didn't make any sense."

The reactions that Rhodes received towards the end of his AEW run were contrasting to how the WWE Universe treated him. Fans have welcomed the former TNT Champion with open arms since his WWE WrestleMania 38 return, with DDP stating that they are "loving him." 

"They watched what he did, and they appreciated him, they wanted him back," DDP said. "Then for the matches that him and Seth Rollins had were just unbelievable, but there's a guy who's had a pedigree better than anybody, the American Dream's kid, and he couldn't get past this midground. When he was younger he was up a bit higher ... but he came right back down and he was never going to go up higher. He had to leave."

Politics in professional wrestling is something that is always going to be around, which has been clear recently during CM Punk's issues with The Elite. Rhodes seemed to suffer with that issue during the end of his AEW career, whether it be down to being booked to never become World Champion or situations taking place behind the scenes. DDP has certainly experienced politics at times throughout his career as well, and he weighed in on the impact it can have.

"My point is that all the time it is so hard to get up that pecking order ... it's so hard," DDP said. "So the politics start and then it becomes even harder. If you remember when AEW started they don't have the same crew they do now ... I don't see a lot of those people there anymore, so bottom line is it's wrestling, and the big and the bad, and the people who know how to be political, and have the look and the rap are going to have the best chances. But that political thing is inevitable."

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "DDP Snake Pit" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc for the transcription.