When Cody Rhodes left WWE to test his mettle on the indies in a move that now looks like one of the defining decisions in both WWE and independent wrestling history, something changed about his character presentation: the addition of Brandi Rhodes to his act.

Granted, it was no secret that Rhodes was in a relationship with and eventually married the man now known as the “American Nightmare,” as social media still existed when the duo coupled up in 2013, but other than a single match in FCW all the way back in 2011, the performer then known as Eve was exclusively utilized as a ring announcer, not a wrestler, with few knowing whether or not she could even throw down if afforded the opportunity.

In 2016, however, fans got that answer, as Rhodes started accompanying Cody to the ring on the indies – maybe as a way to double-dip on booking fees, maybe as a way to spend more time together – and as things escalated, she eventually was thrust into in-ring action, working 23 matches before her first AEW match in 2019. Though her matches in AEW weren't particularly popular, as outside of a make-shift tag team with The Bunny, her in-ring efforts were very widely panned, fans assumed that it would only be a matter of time before the duo reunited in WWE once more, with Brandi Rhodes, under that moniker, making her proper debut on RAW, SmackDown, or a Premium Live Event.

… or would it?

Speaking with Chris Van Vliet about her in-ring future, Rhodes delivered the news many fans assumed but didn't know until now: she is retired.

“I mean, it was really anti-climactic, but yes, I did [retire as a wrestler],” Brandi Rhodes said via Wrestling Inc. “I just said, ‘You know what? Okay. Well, we're either going to do this the Becky Lynch-Seth Rollins way,' and they are amazing for doing it, 'cause I can't. It just was too hard, well not too hard, but just something that I didn't think would be the best for the family. So, we've gone a different route, and I've started business ventures on my own, and he's doing his thing, and we're just doing a couple of different things.”

Would Brandi have ever stepped into the ring had Cody stuck around in WWE, either embracing the Stardust character or waiting out Vince McMahon to become something similar to the red, white, and blue performer he is today? No, she almost certainly wouldn't have. Was wrestling better off because she did wrestle? Again, no, probably not, as she only wrestled 62 matches, held no titles, and was far more important to AEW behind the scenes than in front of it. Still, it would have been interesting to see Rhodes in the ring with another Rhodes on the outside backing him up, which could theoretically still happen, but isn't going to be a fixture of the act moving forward.

Brandi Rhodes reveals her reaction to Cody Rhodes' pec injury.

Elsewhere in her conversation with Chris Van Vliet, Brandi Rhodes was asked about her reaction to Cody Rhodes' pec injury. Though Rhodes was concerned for her husband's health, she was at least happy the call in question wasn't regarding her baby instead.

“It's so disappointing on my part because he called, and he said to me, ‘Don't panic,'” Rhodes said. “And immediately I thought, ‘The baby fell. Something happened there at the hospital.' So I went, ‘Oh my god, what what what what what? Just tell me.' And he goes, ‘I think I tore my pec.' And I said, ‘Oh thank god. You'll be fine. The baby, though.' But then of course I was like, ‘Did you really, are you sure?' And yeah, he had torn it,” Brandi Rhodes said via Wrestling Inc.

“I was that person that wanted him to. And I did check with Doc Eamon to make sure that I was giving sound advice. And I was like, ‘Well if nothing really worse can come of the situation if you feel okay with it, then I'm giving my blessing too.' I was a performer, so I know the feeling. If you can, you want to make it happen, and those people are counting on you. People bought tickets for the show, to see the main event with Cody and Seth. So yeah, if you can do it, do it.'”

Is it surprising that Brandi was on-board with her husband working his Hell in a Cell match with Seth Rollins? Maybe yes, maybe no, but in the end, that match speaks for itself, so the decision to work it was the right one.