Originally published on ProWrestlingSheet.

AEW EVP Cody Rhodes spoke with the media on Tuesday to answer questions and promote this week's episode of Dynamite in Atlanta. 

Newsworthy things said during the conference call include: 

  • Cody confirms Jeff Cobb is NOT signed full-time and things with him are still in "gestation" as he continues to work with ROH and NJPW. Cody says he'd love to see Jeff sign a more long-term deal with AEW in the future though.
  • Cody reveals that during the time between Double or Nothing in May and Dynamite the following Wednesday the company will "load things up" with AEW events in Las Vegas to keep fans busy.
  • Cody says he and Taz want to go to the NCAA finals for wrestling to find potential athletes they could train to work in AEW. He says they're also looking for "fresh" talent that can go bell to bell, and that the Young Bucks are always scouting indie talent.
  • Cody announces he's taken a leadership/ownership role at a wrestling school called The Nightmare Factory and that Sadie Gibbs/Anthony Ogogo will be training there. States that it's not affiliated with AEW other than him running it.
  • When asked about signing more wrestlers of color in 2020, Cody notes that he's been doing a YouTube deep-dive today on independent wrestler Chris Bey.
  • In regards to Val Venis' recent criticisms relating to Nyla Rose, Cody says he thinks it's just disappointing. He also says he doesn't believe Val means the "terrible, awful" things he's writing and that he's doing it for a booking, which they're not going to give him.
  • Cody adds that the real way to end the barrage of bigotry, transphobia and negativity on social media is "not hitting the ball back." Just stop. If you hit the ball back, you give them oxygen. Says Nyla Rose won the women's title because she's the best women's wrestler in AEW.

Listen to the full conversation below.