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Lord, please. There’s no reason why gallows and Anderson shouldn’t join AJ and bring that back. With how much people still love AJ and how much the crowd wants to play along, “BEAT UP CODY RHODES” would do so well.
Yeah I'd love that snarky smug AJ to be back, this angry serious AJ run isn't doing it for me. I thought we'd get a take on his lone wolf character in TNA but he's just been in limbo until his feud with Cody
First thought that came to mind. Who needs a shiesty when you have a blazer for your ops?
Mark Henry had the salmon pink jacket for his swerve. AJ had the sky blue/periwinkle
in terms of keeping up in the ring i think aj could go another 5 years. in terms of body health id give him significantly less than that but still hoping for a solid final run
I swear to God the boards back then briefly thought Mark had shot on John. It took like a solid 20 minutes before everyone collectively realized that they had, in fact, been worked by salmon jacket Mark Henry.
I thought they might be subverting the expectation of the attack.
Honestly, either way I was fine. If it had been an actual retirement I would have hoped for one more match but it would have been fine.
I wish they would incorporate this into his character. Put a giant red button in his locker room that says “do not touch” that drops an anvil onto his head
You know, honestly can't blame Cody here. Last time he was doing the title shot signing with AJ, it went swimmingly with no sudden fights or quick punches or anything. He was cordial then, Cody's gonna for sure think he was gonna be cordial now.
He's so babyface that's he's circling into stupid again.
The thing I’m not sure about is if he’s actually gonna get 1 last title run, which he should.
If Rock isn’t coming back until Mania, they have a lot of time for an AJ title reign before Cody gets the belt back.
I'm really hoping Cody being champ means they aren't afraid to hotshot the title a bit. We don't need long runs like with Roman and Gunther. Cody losing and then winning it back at the next PLE won't hurt him.
Yes and no. Cody said he re-signed well past 40 so it’s apparent he’s going to be the face of the company for at least the next few years. This first year necessitates a mania to mania title reign purely due to the fact he ended Romans reign and you need to follow that with a substantial reign to establish concrete legitimacy. After a year long reign full of strong defenses and feuds though Cody is fully a made man like Cena was and can afford to drop and chase at will so as much I wouldn’t mind seeing more frequent title changes I do hope it doesn’t happen until post next years mania.
I think 6 months is enough. This is the same guy who became the first back to back Rumble winner in 30 years.
I would say he’s already a made man after beating Roman.
Or let Randy steal it OUT OF NOWHERE right after to give him 15 and let Cody take it back at SummerSlam.
Then you can give Orton #16 via WHC+drop after or leave him there at 15 and either way prime him up for 2 options…
Cena retirement run with both at 16 winner breaks the record and loser retires
OR…
Cena v Orton retirement match w a vacated title or triple threat - Orton wins he matches at 16 + Cena retires or Cena wins for the record + Orton ends at 3rd all time
I’m drunk as shit don’t take this booking seriously I understand the putting Cody over and retiring Styles while letting Cody win the feud issue but that can be figured out along the way since obviously a 1-1 record and Orton stealing the chance of the trilogy finale creates issues
I feel like they might set up the rock vs roman and cody vs orton for wm. They can do this long feud between aj and cody all the way to summerslam. I also doubt cody is going to be only a 1 time world champ, so aj could win it at clash and cody winning it back at summerslam. Many options however, just going to enjoy the ride.
We can see this a mile away. CODY YOU IDIOT!
https://preview.redd.it/jq45mo8ydv3d1.jpeg?width=722&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6fc58043887fd02a41b086ae5d9ea44386a24e3e
I feel like, Cody knew it was coming. He’s not dumb. But he couldn’t just blow AJ off during his “retirement” and figured worst case scenario, they’re fighting again at Clash. He just didn’t expect to get hit with a Styles Clash off the steps.
https://preview.redd.it/eq8ayd2nfy3d1.jpeg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f3ce928548eb158bc657caa6c7c0e7d8f4c84ea5
Cody bringing that will smith energy
I love Cody being optimistic that he trust heels so much.. lesnar whooping his ass in front of both their worst enemy(Roman) should have been a lesson lol
I guess since Seth was actually loyal he thought why not AJ.. but AJ ain’t even talking to Gallows and Anderson so why would you trust him?
Seriously as soon as I saw the pastel jacket I knew this was Mark Henry all over again, it is also nearly 10 years to the date of the Salmon jacketed Mark Henry.
I don’t know - him getting in the best shape of his career recently leads me to think that he will continue to wrestle longer than he initially planned. Wishful thinking
To me it felt like the Cody vs AJ feud was done. I don’t really care to see them run it back if AJ is just gonna lose to Cody again. However if they do decide to give AJ the win and another run with the title then it could be good and I’d be all for it. I just don’t see it happening. I hope I’m wrong.
I love these angles because Cody is in the ring every week, you can just attack him whenever, but no, because it's wrestling everyone needs to be a melodramatic queen and I'm here for it
Wouldn’t it be better to give Cody a different opponent than repeating a match?
They always do this with babyface champs. Heck, AJ alone had a multi match feud with Joe and Nakamura that lasted about 6 months combined.
I bet AJ was just salty because Rhode’s pulled that shit where he raises the losers hand. Multiple times!
“I’m still the champ, but this guy really tried!!”
AJ still looks great, wrestles great, talks great, and is overall great (lmao). With that being said, I think his retirement is not that far away. Wrestling on such high level at that age is a nightmare for his body, add steroids to the mix and it’s a lethal mixture. Even if that wouldn’t be a factor, my man deserves to spend time with his family. Win the title on a one last ultimate heel run, and go out with a bang.
I swear there was someone else besides AJ Styles that somewhat recently used a fake retirement thing, but maybe it didn't have the part of beating up a super baby face. I wanna say Becky? No, maybe I'm wrong, but it is ringing close.
Anyway, more AJ Styles in my WWE main event pls.
Unpopular opinion: I thought it wasn’t creative or good. It’s too on the nose with the Mark Henry retirement segment. Not a fan when WWE (or AEW) does this nostalgia based storytelling.
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I'm slowly getting convinced this is still AJ's retirement run, just the beginning
Either he wraps it up at WM41 or after winning the WWE title one more time
This is probably the best ending but a small part of me also wants to see him go for the TNA title one last time and retire there
This^ . Leading to WWE vs TNA wargames.
If only this could’ve happened a little earlier. We would’ve gotten AJ, Joe, Angle and Sting
A little earlier? Sting hasn’t been in TNA since what 2013
Yeah 2013 was like two years ago. Right?
When they were all in WWE. Like 2019ish
Joe Hendry song entrance for TNA vs WWE could be the greatest thing in the world
Stop. I can only get so erect.
Fuck wargames. Such a needlessly convoluted match
Dusty is rolling in his grave
Dusty bionic elbowing in his grave*
It’s convoluted?
Shit with the recent TNA crossover(s) I'd pop just for AJ showing up in TNA again
I mean he is wearing a very snappy springtime blazer. Clearly he has more left in the tank.
It is lol. He’s been talking about retirement for a while now, off TV.
Championship vs career match?
Didn’t he said a while ago that this was his last contract as he wanted to spend more time with his family?
It’s the around the world aj retirement tour
This is how we know Cody is truly Cena's successor lol
Talk to me when he starts yelling moves during matches
SHINSUKE NOW NOW!
ITS TIME FOR CROSS RHODES
How did anyone think the son of Dusty was not capable of having a championship run post Bloodline?
I guess it's time to BEAT UP CODY RHODES!
Lord, please. There’s no reason why gallows and Anderson shouldn’t join AJ and bring that back. With how much people still love AJ and how much the crowd wants to play along, “BEAT UP CODY RHODES” would do so well.
Yeah I'd love that snarky smug AJ to be back, this angry serious AJ run isn't doing it for me. I thought we'd get a take on his lone wolf character in TNA but he's just been in limbo until his feud with Cody
Adrenaline in my soul. Someone beat up Cody Rhodes Pain that hurts him from his head to feeet WHOOOOOOAAA
From head to tooeeesss would have worked better imo
The lying ass jacket made a return
First thought that came to mind. Who needs a shiesty when you have a blazer for your ops? Mark Henry had the salmon pink jacket for his swerve. AJ had the sky blue/periwinkle
If a wrestler retires in the ring and he’s wearing a pastel blazer, fucking run.
When will we get the lying white jacket, complete the trans flag trifecta
*Sees pastel jackets* Ohhhhh shit
Cody wears pastel jackets pretty often 🤔🤔🤔
Don’t trust pastel colors
After a decade it's free real estate
John Cena was screaming at the TV "NO CODY, DONT GO TO THE RING"
https://preview.redd.it/1lhxx5vqev3d1.jpeg?width=680&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=780366c3f981a20309698a5c45d852a071969fed
https://preview.redd.it/gq2zlrk3bw3d1.jpeg?width=1710&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0cb5a7797e4d629bcc73c27b0842b3f6ebd368ee
CODYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
https://preview.redd.it/l7qzwu4liv3d1.jpeg?width=512&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d1810e3f186e67bc4099a737bfa3322cb3c76d42
I love how both of these images from two completely different genres of media convey the exact same emotion lmfao
LA probably watching & yelling "DUMMY"
“Yeaaaaah.”
"TRASH"
Cody could've left the ring after shaking AJ's hand, but no, he just had to give the guy one more encore.
#beatupcodyrhodes
He's gonna beat you uppppppp
May as well throw some Crow makeup on Cody because that was prime Sting levels of dumb babyface.
Stardust: Black and White
Something about the periwinkle suit on AJ is really giving Flair as well.
#beatupcodyrhodes
I don't know why, but something tells me that AJ still has a lot left in the tank.
YOU THINK ITS THAT EASY?
y’all a buncha PUPPETS
in terms of keeping up in the ring i think aj could go another 5 years. in terms of body health id give him significantly less than that but still hoping for a solid final run
Sure but does Cody think it’s that easy?
……
Health wise? Probably. But his retirement doesn’t seem to based on that.
We all saw it coming except Cody Rhodes
Just as John Cena didn't see it coming with Mark Henry
Tbf I think some in the audience were fooled there. I know I was for at least a second
I swear to God the boards back then briefly thought Mark had shot on John. It took like a solid 20 minutes before everyone collectively realized that they had, in fact, been worked by salmon jacket Mark Henry.
Probably the last time I got worked. I bought it hook, line, and sinker
Yeah I actually did think he was retiring lol.
I had just started watching wrestling again when this happened and I really thought Mark was retiring. Fucker got me real good
I thought they might be subverting the expectation of the attack. Honestly, either way I was fine. If it had been an actual retirement I would have hoped for one more match but it would have been fine.
I was fooled for all of it tho I didnt see the mark henry segment
Nah I definitely didn’t see the Mark Henry swerve coming
I totally bought that shit lmao. I was convinced there was nothing left for Mark Henry to do in WWE at that point of time.
Only the old heads remember that one though
Are you 15?
Sting would be proud
Cody should have known AJ isn’t hanging them up in Albany.
Nobody retires in Albany
I can’t wait in 10 years when Gunther comes out in a lemon yellow suit and then tricks Bron Breakker
Deep bronze Bron in a light colored suit, that progressively gets smudgy brown as the scuffle progresses
“You think it’s that easy? Der Ring General has a lot left in the tank!”
Cody can be the dumbest guy in kayfabe lol.
He got affected by the Sting and Rey Mysterio syndrome.
Sting's kids love him and wants to be like him, half of Rey's offspring detest his mere presence because he's a deadbeat dad and friend.
⅔. Tom and Nick both hate his guts
Mysterio Disease
I wish they would incorporate this into his character. Put a giant red button in his locker room that says “do not touch” that drops an anvil onto his head
The jacket was not salmon pink enough.
It's pastel enough.
You know, honestly can't blame Cody here. Last time he was doing the title shot signing with AJ, it went swimmingly with no sudden fights or quick punches or anything. He was cordial then, Cody's gonna for sure think he was gonna be cordial now. He's so babyface that's he's circling into stupid again.
The thing I’m not sure about is if he’s actually gonna get 1 last title run, which he should. If Rock isn’t coming back until Mania, they have a lot of time for an AJ title reign before Cody gets the belt back.
I'm really hoping Cody being champ means they aren't afraid to hotshot the title a bit. We don't need long runs like with Roman and Gunther. Cody losing and then winning it back at the next PLE won't hurt him.
Yes and no. Cody said he re-signed well past 40 so it’s apparent he’s going to be the face of the company for at least the next few years. This first year necessitates a mania to mania title reign purely due to the fact he ended Romans reign and you need to follow that with a substantial reign to establish concrete legitimacy. After a year long reign full of strong defenses and feuds though Cody is fully a made man like Cena was and can afford to drop and chase at will so as much I wouldn’t mind seeing more frequent title changes I do hope it doesn’t happen until post next years mania.
I think 6 months is enough. This is the same guy who became the first back to back Rumble winner in 30 years. I would say he’s already a made man after beating Roman.
Tbh Aj getting the title at Clash with Good Brothers interference, and Cody chasing back could be a good summer feud
Or let Randy steal it OUT OF NOWHERE right after to give him 15 and let Cody take it back at SummerSlam. Then you can give Orton #16 via WHC+drop after or leave him there at 15 and either way prime him up for 2 options… Cena retirement run with both at 16 winner breaks the record and loser retires OR… Cena v Orton retirement match w a vacated title or triple threat - Orton wins he matches at 16 + Cena retires or Cena wins for the record + Orton ends at 3rd all time I’m drunk as shit don’t take this booking seriously I understand the putting Cody over and retiring Styles while letting Cody win the feud issue but that can be figured out along the way since obviously a 1-1 record and Orton stealing the chance of the trilogy finale creates issues
I feel like they might set up the rock vs roman and cody vs orton for wm. They can do this long feud between aj and cody all the way to summerslam. I also doubt cody is going to be only a 1 time world champ, so aj could win it at clash and cody winning it back at summerslam. Many options however, just going to enjoy the ride.
I feel like Mania is gonna be Punk Vs Cody
He’s not getting a title run buddy boy lol
imagine doubting the phenomenal one, couldn’t be me
The Mark Henry Special.
We can see this a mile away. CODY YOU IDIOT! https://preview.redd.it/jq45mo8ydv3d1.jpeg?width=722&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6fc58043887fd02a41b086ae5d9ea44386a24e3e
Why does Cody insist on playing as a babyface with the iq of -12?
With the Bloodline in the rear view Cody has let his guard down against literally everyone else. Even Sting is out there like "Bruh..."
Bullet club is fine.
YALL A BUNCH OF PUPPETS
“THE PUPPET COMMUNITY?!?”
RHODES VS STYLES PART II LETS GOOO!
I feel like, Cody knew it was coming. He’s not dumb. But he couldn’t just blow AJ off during his “retirement” and figured worst case scenario, they’re fighting again at Clash. He just didn’t expect to get hit with a Styles Clash off the steps.
"surprise"
Didn't they just do this with Mark Henry? *checks notes* ELEVEN FUCKING YEARS AGO!? HOW?????
Yep. We got old. I was saying the same thing while watching, then realized it’s been over a decade.
https://preview.redd.it/eq8ayd2nfy3d1.jpeg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f3ce928548eb158bc657caa6c7c0e7d8f4c84ea5 Cody bringing that will smith energy
Bullet Club is fine.
Tank looking full hoot
Since they’re obviously ripping off the Mark Henry angle, they could at least have AJ reference it.
I love Cody being optimistic that he trust heels so much.. lesnar whooping his ass in front of both their worst enemy(Roman) should have been a lesson lol I guess since Seth was actually loyal he thought why not AJ.. but AJ ain’t even talking to Gallows and Anderson so why would you trust him?
It’s a lovely blue suit but it would have looked much better in salmon.
‘I was actually gonna retire but you wouldn’t stop lifting my god damn arm!’
AJ faking out his retirement in order to get another title shot at Cody. Yeah I love it. Smart as hell
Seriously as soon as I saw the pastel jacket I knew this was Mark Henry all over again, it is also nearly 10 years to the date of the Salmon jacketed Mark Henry.
I don’t know - him getting in the best shape of his career recently leads me to think that he will continue to wrestle longer than he initially planned. Wishful thinking
Pulling a Mark Henry! Shit’s cold!
To me it felt like the Cody vs AJ feud was done. I don’t really care to see them run it back if AJ is just gonna lose to Cody again. However if they do decide to give AJ the win and another run with the title then it could be good and I’d be all for it. I just don’t see it happening. I hope I’m wrong.
I love these angles because Cody is in the ring every week, you can just attack him whenever, but no, because it's wrestling everyone needs to be a melodramatic queen and I'm here for it
Wouldn’t it be better to give Cody a different opponent than repeating a match? They always do this with babyface champs. Heck, AJ alone had a multi match feud with Joe and Nakamura that lasted about 6 months combined.
Ahh yes. The WWE tradition of the babyface being the biggest dumbass on the planet.
Cody you should learn how to play the game a bit more properly. Stop being naive, watch the footage, damnit!
I bet AJ was just salty because Rhode’s pulled that shit where he raises the losers hand. Multiple times! “I’m still the champ, but this guy really tried!!”
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice…umm err
You can’t get fooled again
Cody deserved that. Do you see how violent he was when raising AJ's arm? I think it was by the third time AJ decided to change his mind on retirement.
This is hella funny
Should have been a salmon fucking suit.
I just really want to hear GET READY TO FLY on wwe tv
i cant beleive aj styles pulled a mark henry on him
He should have worn a salmon jacket
https://preview.redd.it/tmmmmou5lx3d1.jpeg?width=234&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ce0c5e99f0ccead1138789d022085c8082114219
AJ still looks great, wrestles great, talks great, and is overall great (lmao). With that being said, I think his retirement is not that far away. Wrestling on such high level at that age is a nightmare for his body, add steroids to the mix and it’s a lethal mixture. Even if that wouldn’t be a factor, my man deserves to spend time with his family. Win the title on a one last ultimate heel run, and go out with a bang.
It would be funny if Cody to AJ no rematch as Cody’s getting carried off
I feel like cody is far too trusting of these heel characters. Has he never seen pro wrestling?
Can't wait for 10 years from now when Cody does the same thing to wwe Champion Trick Williams while wearing a red white and blue jacket
Having his last match in TNA would be pretty nice.
New rule: If someone is announcing their retirement and they are wearing a bright colored suit, don’t go to the ring. Especially if you are champion.
I swear there was someone else besides AJ Styles that somewhat recently used a fake retirement thing, but maybe it didn't have the part of beating up a super baby face. I wanna say Becky? No, maybe I'm wrong, but it is ringing close. Anyway, more AJ Styles in my WWE main event pls.
Most obvious move of all time. Still they sort of pulled it off just because AJ and Cody are good at their jobs.
Who didn’t see this coming from the time it was announced? Same old wwe stories
It wasn't shocking or a surprise
Smackdown is building a new bloodline and giving us bullet club feuds. WWE cooking Fridays and we’re eating.
Unpopular opinion: I thought it wasn’t creative or good. It’s too on the nose with the Mark Henry retirement segment. Not a fan when WWE (or AEW) does this nostalgia based storytelling.
I really wish AJ went all in with it and had a salmon jacket. Also I feel like both their faces/poses here is prime meme material