Brandi Rhodes On The Launch Of AEW Heels, The Member Of The Women's Roster That Scares Her

AEW Chief Brand Officer Brandi Rhodes joined Dave LeGreca and Tommy Dreamer on the Busted Open podcast to talk about the launch of AEW Heels. She explained why Heels has started and what fans can expect from it in the future.

"Okay, so let me set the stage for you all – in wrestling, no one has ever fought to put together a fan club specifically for the female fan," Rhodes noted. "I mean, to me, that's not rocket science or anything. But I did it, and that's where we are with All Elite Heels. AEW Heels is a beautiful community that's built for women who are fans of wrestling. Some women are involved in wrestling, the AEW Women's Roster participates in Heels.

"It's just this wonderful community where women can grow together, learn together, make friends, connections, network. Networking is a big thing for me, so of course that's going to be a part of it. But it's also a way for them to learn more about this business. They're going to get exclusive merch, they're going to get to learn things before other people do, we do these great Zoom events right now."

The AEW Women's Tag Team Cup Tournament has officially begun with Rhodes and Allie of The Nightmare Sisters picking up a win over Penelope Ford and Mel. As for a team that has caught Rhodes' attention, she told Busted Open that the team of Tay Conti and Anna Jay has caught her eye.

"Well, first of all, Allie better not let me down because she's technically the veteran of the team," Rhodes said. "I would be very disappointed if she had some slip-up or a mess up, so I hope her head is truly in the game, because like what you saw the other night, I had to kind of pull it together. She was getting whipped in a corner and just couldn't get to me. But we got out there and we got the job done. But I will say, there is a team on the horizon calling themselves, Tay Jay, Tay Conti and Anna Jay."

Rhodes elaborated more as to why Tay Jay has impressed her, starting with the fact that they already have a name and a brand behind them. She notes that she hopes that she and Allie don't have to run up against them anytime soon in the tournament.

"They already created a brand for themselves, which, usually at that level, people are waiting for other people to do that for them so they show initiative," Rhodes stated. "They're taking the ball, they're running with it. That means they're a little bit dangerous, because let's be honest, every room that I enter, I'm the smartest room in the room.

"Most of the time, I'm the smartest person, period. Anytime I start to feel like that is a little bit compromised, or start to feel a little bit of anxiety, a little fluttering in my heart of, 'Oh My God! What if?', that's bad news for me. So I am hoping that whoever they face in the semis – because they're not facing us. We saw the bracket. We don't know who we are facing yet. I'm hoping, whoever it is, they legitimately knock their heads off so I don't have to see them again."

Rhodes also gave her thoughts on Abadon and how she can be a force in the Women's Division. She also hopes that she does not run up against her in the tournament, but she praises her for her character that has implemented many horror-movie elements.

"Here's the reality of it, okay? I see something in Abadon," Rhodes revealed. "I really do, and I have an undying love for the horror genre in general. So anything that's very creepy and murky, I like it. But I don't want anything to do with her. Like, I would like for her to stay as far away from me as possible. I hope to God she's not in the tag tournament. We don't know, we haven't seen the rest of the draws and polls. I'm someone who likes horror because it absolutely scares me, and she scares me very much.

"I don't know what I would do. Like, you say, 'what would you do if Michael Myers was standing at your backyard with the knife raised? What would you do?' You don't know what you would do! You might panic and freeze like everyone in the movies, and get chopped up! I don't know what I would do if I was standing across the ring from Abadon. I might freeze, or I might think quickly, or, hopefully, someone will come help me. So, I just don't want that moment to happen."

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit Busted Open with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

Mehdy Labriny contributed to this article.