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Whoever has followed MJF’s career since the beginning knows that his rise in AEW had a strong influence from Cody Rhodes. In fact, the mentor and protégé relationship we saw in 2019 on AEW programming closely reflected the reality behind the scenes.
Now, with Rhodes being one of the pillars of WWE, many people wonder whether that friendship still exists, despite the clear rivalry between the companies.
In a conversation with Chris Van Vliet, the current AEW World Champion was quick to confirm that the connection between them remains alive:
“Absolutely. I wouldn’t be sitting here today if it weren’t for Cody Rhodes. He was the one who put me on All In, which led me to Tony Khan and secured me a contract. Just like in the case of CM Punk, I hope he’s happy with what he’s doing now. And honestly, I think he probably is.” (H/t Wrestling Inc)
Cody, on several other occasions, had already praised MJF’s physicality, suggesting that he would have no problem standing out among the athletes in WWE. And it seems that WWE itself thinks the same way.
MJF revealed that he had conversations with executives from the Stamford-based company, which reportedly made him a high-value offer. However, he chose to remain in AEW.