While there are plenty of positive storylines going around the professional wrestling world at the moment, from Roman Reigns' big return at SummerSlam to help Cody Rhodes versus Solo Sikoa, to Bryan Danielson's forthcoming AEW Championship versus Career match in the main event of All In, the one that has stood out like a sore thumb has been the locker room altercation between Britt Baker and MJF that got the former suspended.
To some, the story really isn't that noteworthy, as people in any job get into squabbles from time to time, and it doesn't necessarily mean they won't be able to work together in the future – not that Baker and MJF are featured on television together all that often – but the interaction has drawn reactions from all over the professional wrestling world, including from one-time WCW star and The Crash booker Konnan, who let it slip that Baker's actions played no small part in the “American Nightmare's” exit from AEW.
“One of the reasons that Cody left (AEW) amongst many was there was problems between Brandi and Britt… Tony always takes her side… you'll find out one day,” Konnan shared via Covalent TV.
Now granted, Konnan has a bit of a bone to pick with AEW at the moment, as the company is working with Lucha Libre AAA's biggest rival CMLL, and the two sides have squabbled with booking a time or two before that, with the former Filthy Animal sending out an ominous tweet that many feel could be related to the potential exit of the Lucha Brothers later this year.
Still, it's not like the AEW locker room is slowly falling apart at the seems, as current members of the roster have commented on the Baker-MJF situation in a far less critical light, including Deonna Purrazzo, who told Stephanie Chase that the locker room is on-par with her experience in TNA and that one minor issue won't define it.
“Very similar. I think this was just one instance that sparked a lot of drama and also kind of took on a life of its own. The rumor mill starts going, and things aren't as they were. People add their two cents, and it makes it way bigger than it was,” Deonna Purrazzo told Stephanie Chase via Fightful. “I think this was an isolated incident because everything else that I've experienced in this locker room is supportive, encouraging, is a lot of camaraderie. We just recently celebrated people's birthdays and had birthday cakes and sang. I feel this locker room doesn't get as much credit as it deserves for that type of camaraderie. I don't know what it was like before. I can only speak to my experiences, but I feel like it doesn't get enough credit as it deserves.”
Does AEW have a genuine issue? Yes, it's never good when internal issues come to light in such a public way, especially when the promotion has a bad history of locker room brawls. Still, until a Rhodes family member confirms the story, it will just become part of the big speculation bubble surrounding the “American Nightmare's” exit from AEW.
Cody Rhodes vows to gain 100 pounds when he retires from WWE
On a lighter note, Rhodes recently revealed on his What Do You Wanna Talk About? the podcast that when his professional wrestling run is done, he doesn't want to stay in shape for the rest of his life but would instead enjoy a chance to live out his inner “American Dream” Dusty Rhodes sans an identifiable jawline but with plenty of Tommy Bahama shirts.
“I'm trying to warn everybody, when this is done, I'd like to at least put on 75 to 100 pounds,” he said. “Anything that's even like [my] jawline, I want it gone. I've done this since I was 14. I've been working out since I was 14, which, you shouldn't start working out when you're 14, but like, redneck parents and my dad and everything… I don't know, a Tommy Bahama shirt, khaki shorts, red, sunburned, kind of consistently. I don't know what that look is, but that's my ideal [look for when I'm in my] 60s,” Rhodes explained via Fightful.
“Guys, I don't want it edited that I want to gain that much weight because I want to put it out in the universe. So, I'm complimenting myself, but if there's a Legends SmackDown ten years from now, they're like, ‘Bro, don't put him out there.' I want to be able to still do the moves. That would be great because a lot of the bigger dudes can go. Adrian Adonis was like 400 pounds at one point in his career, and he was moving like a cruiserweight actually.”
Is gaining 100 pounds and weighing in the low 300s an odd aspiration for the current WWE Champion? Sure thing, but hey, after spending 20 years working on his body to look like a real-life superhero, taking some time off to enjoy life – and food – makes all the sense in the world.
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