Earlier today (Nov. 4), there were reports WWE had dropped its trademark claim on the name “Cody Rhodes”.
We’ll have to wait for more on the how and why, but the what is that AEW Executive Vice-President and TNT champion can use his kayfabe surname again. Cody revealed the news in a promo for the live crowd in Jacksonville after Dynamite went off the air tonight.
CODY RHODES IS BACK
— Florida Wrestling Fan (@FLWrestlingFan) November 5, 2020
“It feels REALLY good to be @CodyRhodes again.”#AEWDynamite Post-Show pic.twitter.com/6TAvqtmd9c
“As of this morning, I no longer just have one name. Whether Justin Roberts says it or not, it feel really good to be Cody Rhodes again!”
The bit about ring announcer Justin Roberts makes you wonder if AEW will stick with the one-name branding, at least for a while. But it certainly seems like they’re free-and-clear to refer to the Grandson of a Plumber by his dad’s well-known last name again. You’d have to think they’ll want to start doing that in something other than dark promos that stream on Fite.tv pretty soon.
Welcome back, Cody Rhodes!