Cody Rhodes Referenced On AEW Dynamite

While not directly mentioned, Cody Rhodes was referenced during the February 14 edition of AEW Dynamite. 

Dynamite featured Sting's retirement match being made official and The Icon will defend the AEW World Tag Team Titles with Darby Allin against The Young Bucks at AEW Revolution on March 3. During his promo accepting the match, Darby Allin referenced Cody, noting that he wouldn't have been hired by All Elite Wrestling if it wasn't for another EVP in the promotion that wasn't Kenny Omega or The Young Bucks. 

"You know when I was homeless and AEW first started, I begged you guys for a job. You saw nothing in me, Yet, I had to sit by and watch all your s**t friends get hired. Your little California crew. Thank god at the time there was an EVP here with a sense of brains. And I am not talking about Kenny Omega," Darby said to The Young Bucks on Dynamite.

Cody Rhodes founded All Elite Wrestling with Tony Khan, The Young Bucks, and Kenny Omega in January 2019. Rhodes was hugely influential during the early portion of Darby Allin's AEW career and Darby went to a 20-minute time-limit draw with Rhodes in Allin's AEW debut at Fyter Fest 2019. This led to a story of Darby being unable to defeat Cody until he finally did so at Full Gear 2020 to capture the TNT Championship. 

Rhodes departed AEW in February 2022 and he is now one of WWE's top stars. Cody still remains close to The Young Bucks, however, and he admitted they talk all the time in the Summer of 2023. 

H/T Denise Salcedo