Brandi Rhodes Addresses Criticisms Of Her AEW In-Ring Work
Brandi Rhodes says she's working toward a return to the ring.
"I've been training hard – very hard – probably a lot harder than people think."
AEW's Chief Brand Officer gave an update on her progress on the Throwing Down podcast with Renee Paquette and Miesha Tate.
"I'm in-ring at least 3 days a week. I'm in (the) gym 7 days a week. So I'm busting it as hard as I possibly can. And that's because I want to do well. I don't want to not commit to something. I just really want to be an actual contender. And I think that myself doing all the work, that just makes me more confident that when I do get back in the ring that I know exactly what I'm doing."
Rhodes acknowledged past criticisms of her in-ring work.
"I think people just assume that Brandi is Cody's wife so he can just put her in whatever spot she wants to be in and so she doesn't have to work hard and probably doesn't train very much. I know what I'm capable of."
Rhodes recently returned to AEW television just three months after she and her husband Cody welcomed their first child. She admits things are different now that she's a mom.
"I think if you don't think there's gonna be some sort of adjustment you're crazy. No matter what your life looks like before that, it's a huge adjustment and a lot is gonna change.
"Before, I would freak out if something didn't get done that was supposed to get done. I would freak out and have a huge temper tantrum, act like the world depended on shooting this episode of Shot Of Brandi that didn't get done, or whatever. Now it's just like, well I'm just gonna go home to my kid and we'll regroup and we'll figure it out.
Brandi Rhodes publicly shared her struggles with postpartum anxiety and depression back in September. She says things are much better now.
"I think it's just a time thing. I really do. Everybody that I talk to that goes through something like that always tells me that with time it got a lot better. And my situation was more of an anxiety situation than depression because I'm very happy and, obviously, I'm in love with this baby and having the time of my life figuring things out with her.
"At the same time, I kept thinking everything bad was gonna happen to her and it was just debilitating. It would be crazy. It would make my body feel a weird way, to have some weird thought pop into my head. Like, I'd be driving and be like, 'What if this car just hits a median and crashes, and what happens to the baby?' And then my body would just go cold and I can't think.
"I'd be like, 'Wait. You gotta snap out of this. You're driving a car. You have to get past this. Stop letting this do this to you.' But I'd do it all the time."