AEW Missed Out On New Signing After Cody Rhodes Forgot To Check WhatsApp

All Elite Wrestling would have had another new talent when the promotion was founded in 2019 but Cody Rhodes forgot to check his WhatsApp messages.

AEW was founded in January 2019 by Tony Khan, The Young Bucks, Kenny Omega, and Cody Rhodes. Khan ultimately headed up the promotion but The Elite had considerable influence in their EVP roles which included them being involved with signing talents for the start-up promotion.

One wrestler AEW looked to sign in their early months was El Phantasmo but the former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion revealed on Speaking of Strong Style that he chose New Japan Pro-Wrestling instead because they offered him a contract first and Cody Rhodes forgot to check WhatsApp.

"It was funny, I was texting Cody Rhodes on WhatsApp and then he didn't respond. And then I was like, 'Cody, I kind of need to talk to you.' Then he didn't respond and Rocky [Romero] got the Japanese visa and was like, 'Hey we want you in Bullet Club'. I was like sh*t I can't say no to that. But if you ever talk to Cody he's like, 'I’ve only ever used WhatsApp for one person.' Because I don't have iMessage or anything, that was the funny story. Tony Khan was like, 'Hey, what's going on?' I was like, 'Well he didn't respond to me on WhatsApp.' He f*cking called Cody backstage in front of everybody like, 'What's going on with ELP?' I was like, 'Dude, you didn't respond on WhatsApp.' He's like, 'Oh sh*t you're the only person I talk to on WhatsApp' so he forgot to check it," El Phantasmo said.

El Phantasmo ultimately signed with New Japan and debuted as part of Bullet Club during the 2019 New Japan Cup. He remained a part of the faction until earlier this year when he was kicked out by David Finlay, joining the Guerrillas of Destiny instead. ELP is now in a tag team with Hikuleo and they will face YOSHI-HASHI and Hirooki Goto of Bishamon in a Title vs. Title match at Wrestle Kingdom 18 on January 4, 2024. The IWGP Tag Team Titles and NJPW STRONG Tag Team Championships will be on the line.

El Phantasmo wasn't the only wrestler AEW missed out on in the early days due to poor communication, according to Righteous Reg of Grapsody. One infamous example of AEW texting talents was CM Punk, although the texts appear to have been sent after Tony Khan and CM Punk had a face-to-face meeting in December 2018.