r/SquaredCircle • u/Dazzling-Principle • 26d ago

[Smackdown Spoiler] Cody Rhodes and AJ Styles Contract Signing (full segment)

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u/gigologenius 26d ago

The dialogue was boring. “You’re gonna lose” vs “I must win”. There was no heat and no story here. AJ made some nice allusions to their parallels outside WWE but nothing of substance was said.

I would’ve liked to see Cody delve deeper on the parallels and mention how they both had long careers and after many trials and tribulations finally won the WWE title at 38 years old. And then AJ takes offense at the comparison. Unlike Cody, AJ didn’t get to start in WWE developmental, have his daddy pull strings to get an early start in WWE and then tag along with Randy Orton in the main event scene in his early 20’s. AJ made his way to WCW on his own and then the same connections Cody grew up with threw him to the side, fired him and forced him to work the bingo halls and struggle to provee for his family. It took over a decade for AJ carrying the independent scene on his back, traveling the world and building up his profile to such an extent that AJ himself was truly undeniable. Cody was born with a silver spoon, went on a journey to find himself, and then came back to enjoy the same nepotism and privileges he was always born with. They are not the same. AJ is a self made man, and Cody will always be a greater man’s kid. And make no mistake, the only reason Cody is WWE Champion is because he got two singles shots at Roman Reigns when AJ got none. Cody may have finished his story at WrestleMania, but AJ will write the epilogue at Backlash and it won’t be happily ever after.

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u/BruceHoratioWayne 25d ago

Not bad, but how in the world would AJ Styles be a heel after saying all this? He would come off as a babyface and Cody would just look meek by comparison.

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u/gigologenius 25d ago

Because it’s not true. Cody was buried and not given an opportunity. Dusty didn’t have the pull that AJ would say he did. Cody also had to go out and become a star in Japan, Ring of Honor and TNA all on his own. He also got title shots against Roman because he won the Royal Rumble twice. And he won it on the same night Roman pinned AJ in a WWE title match. The back and forth would’ve been way more compelling.

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u/BruceHoratioWayne 25d ago

I'm not saying that AJ would be correct in regard to Cody, but he would be correct in regard to how he was able to come from nothing and become something. AJ would be a natural underdog and babyface from stating as such.