Has Malakai Black retired ‘The American Nightmare’ Cody Rhodes for good? During the most recent edition of AEW Dynamite it certainly appeared to be the case. However before the show even went on the air, Cody sent the following out through the community app. Bray Wyatt & Ric Flair’s AEW surprise revealed?
“Whichever way it goes tonight [hopefully mine] – I just wanted to share where I’m at in this moment. This has been a marvelous almost 3yr run – I’ve been incredibly lucky to be one of a few to carry the banner for this genuine revolution. When this all started… some laughed at myself [some laughed at The Bucks/Kenny also] and now it’s just become a given that this show is destination programming. The table has been set, others can eat. I say this with no bitterness in my heart, thank you for all this. This is a legacy. This lives forever.”
The commentary trio runs down the lineup as it currently stands for next week’s show and then they send things down to the squared circle for our main event of the evening.
On that note, “The Dapper Yapper” Justin Roberts begins his formal pre-match ring introductions for this headline contest. He brings out the first competitor for our final match tonight, and out comes Malakai Black with a cool dark entrance.
Black takes a seat in the corner of the ring while remaining emotionless in the face. We head to a commercial break on that note.
When we return from the break we are treated to the familiar sounds of the entrance theme music of “The American Nightmare” and out comes Cody Rhodes to a big reaction from the Jacksonville fans.
The bell sounds and we hear “This is awesome!” chants before anything even happens. The action gets underway with a vengeance straight out of the gate and J.R. on commentary is all hyped up.
After some early back-and-forth action we see Cody on the top-rope when Malakai runs and sprints up to the top with a big kick that sends Cody flying out to the floor and crashing through an announce table.
Cody just barely beats the ref’s count in getting back into the ring. When he does, however, it is only seconds later when Black blasts him with a big kick. He goes for the cover and it’s over just like that. Black with an extremely dominant debut victory. WWE fired female star is signing with AEW
After the match, Tony Schiavone leaves his position and says he’s gonna attempt to get some post-match comments. Malakai Black slowly walks off to the back before Schiavone gets to him.
The commentators talk about Black’s impressive win and then Schiavone is in the ring. He tries talking to Cody as he recovers and is realizing what just transpired.
Schiavone asks Cody about the match. Cody is still out of it and bleeding from the nose. He talks about his time possibly being up. He is helped to his feet by Schiavone and is handed a crutch. He leans on it as the fans try to break out in chants behind him.
Cody tells Tony he’s good and thanks him. They shake hands and Tony exits the ring as Cody limps to the middle of the ring with the mic. He talks about meeting The Elite guys in real life and how people laughed at them at their idea for the birth and creation of AEW.
Fans chant “AEW! AEW!” Cody says now it’s like common place that this is destination viewing. He says this isn’t an alternative, he says they’re competition — clearly referring to WWE. He said they’ve set this table and now maybe some new people can eat.
He says for three years his face has been on everything. He says maybe some outside interests came his way and maybe some in-fighting has gone on between some of the EVPs but he makes it clear that he loves them and will be tied to them forever. He says with all respect to Daily’s Place, to him this is the AEW Amphitheater.
The fans cheer and break out to more “AEW!” chants. He says there’s no better place than here and no better time than now to say this — with 0 bitterness in his heart. He tears up and thanks the fans. He sets the mic down and then unlaces his boots and takes them off, leaving them in the ring. He salutes the fans but then is blasted from behind by a crutch shot from Malakai Black.
Black takes Cody’s boot and looks at it and then smiles. Excalibur questions if Cody has retired. Malakai’s theme plays as he stares down at Cody and smiles while holding his boot. The show goes off the air on that note.
Credit to WrestlingNews.co for the tweet used in this piece.
This was sent out through the @CodyRhodes account on the Community app. Is he done with AEW? pic.twitter.com/gzazLwNSOc
— Wrestling News (@WrestlingNewsCo) August 5, 2021
