Cody Rhodes Talks Forthcoming AEW PPV Announcement, Running Four PPVs At Year, Live TV
With AEW becoming a new entity, the memories they make are extremely important. Since forming the company, Cody and Brandi Rhodes have made it a mission for it to be unique in its own way, whether intentional or not.
Speaking on The Fan Morning Show with Jeff & Big Joe, the Rhodes' discussed the planning that goes with a new promotion. While there are clear challenges, adapting is key in order to make everything work.
"The fact that it is live and that anything can happen and you have to be ready to adjust on the fly and just adapt, Brandi stated. "Great example of that being the last PPV, watching my husband fall on his face on a steel stage, I wasn't sure what was happening after that because it is live. It still was just fantastic, for me, it was the moment of the evening. You never know what is going to happen, so it is just exciting for us as it is for the fans. You are literally getting something different every single time, whether planned or not."
From Chris Jericho winning the World Title to the Light's Out Match between Kenny Omega and Jon Moxley, AEW has already presented us with plenty of highlights. Looking back, Cody sees a number of factors as his favorite highlights. Looking to reach an expanded audience, Cody sees the highlights as gateways.
"We do appeal to a more hardcore fanbase. We want to get everybody," Cody stated. "We've had some really revered matches in just a short period of time. It is not my favorite match, but I know so many people enjoyed me vs. my brother Dustin. I'm glad we were able to have that on the very first outing and needed a match like that. I didn't know it would be mine.
"As far as long-term, the biggest debut in TNT in five years. They were projecting much lower numbers. We don't want to get arrogant or cocky about it, we want to be disciplined and long-form, but I also want to do something that other wrestling companies haven't done when it comes to advertisements for our promotion, our brand. We are open for business."
When thinking about the future, Cody and Brandi don't want to be complacent and are always willing to work out long-term goals.
"We are long-form and we work backwards," Cody continued. "We are going to do four major PPV's a year: All Out, Double or Nothing, Full Gear, and one unnamed we'll probably announce within the next two weeks. That is how wrestling used to be, the Golden Age of Wrestling in the 1980's and even the late seventies, you looked at the finale and you worked backwards. We never want to be week to week, that is almost arrogant if you think you can do this week to week. Especially with young kids that we are responsible for now. Like your Luchasaurus', Riho's, Britt Baker's, we are responsible to them now, we want to do it all long-form and disciplined without going hotshot or week to week."