Fears that Cody Rhodes would be erased from the history of AEW have been officially debunked. A new report from Fightful Select, which received an early review copy of the upcoming This Book Is All Elite: The Inside Story of All Elite Wrestling, confirms that the AEW co-founder and current Undisputed WWE Champion is featured prominently throughout the book.
Following the announcement of the book, which releases in early November, speculation ran rampant online that Rhodes would be omitted from the company’s history following his high-profile departure and return to WWE. Fightful reports that this is not the case, stating that Cody Rhodes is “covered no less than 15 times” in the book. His contributions are mentioned in sections covering All In, Double or Nothing, and the launch of Dynamite.
The book also details his importance to the TNT Championship and his feuds with Wardlow, MJF, Chris Jericho, and Darby Allin, as well as his departure from the company. One quote from the book by AEW commentator Excalibur reportedly states that AEW “had to figure out what their identity was going to be without Cody.” The specifics surrounding his departure, however, are not discussed.
Similarly, fans wondered if CM Punk’s contentious exit from AEW would lead to his omission. The report confirms that Punk is also “covered no less than a half-dozen times.” However, the “Brawl In” or “Brawl Out” incidents are not covered in the book.
An AEW source solidified the book’s intent to be a comprehensive history, telling Fightful: “Joey Janela is featured in it. Miro is in it. If people had a significant part in AEW’s history, they’re in it.”
The report confirms that neither Cody Rhodes nor CM Punk was interviewed for the book.