Dustin Rhodes on Leaving WWE for AEW, Johnny Gargano Praises Triple H, More

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from AEW and WWE. 

Dustin Rhodes Talks Leaving WWE for AEW

Dustin Rhodes has made a big impact in AEW since making his debut for the company at Double or Nothing last year, but he didn't exactly have a ton of momentum on his side when he made the leap.

Rhodes was essentially sitting on the sidelines in WWE as Goldust until he asked for his release and had new life breathed into his career by facing his brother, Cody, at Double or Nothing.

Appearing on the AEW Unrestricted podcast with Tony Schiavone and Aubrey Edwards (h/t WrestlingInc.com's Jason Ounpraseuth), Rhodes discussed what went into his decision to leave WWE and accept a match against Cody in AEW:

"When you're sitting at home for a couple of months with another company who doesn't value you at all, and you're sitting there knowing you have so much more to offer, you kind of lose you passion. And for the first time in my 31 years, I lost my passion for the wrestling business. I love wrestling. Came out of my mother's womb wanting to be a wrestler, and we were raised that way. Dad wanted something different for me. He did not want me to go through the hardships that he went through, and I understand it looking back at it now, but I'm sitting there just knowing I have so much more to give.

"They just will not give me the time of day, and I had enough. I said enough was enough, and for the first time, I kind of stood up for myself in a big way and said, 'I am quitting. I am asking you for my release. I am done. I'm not happy here anymore,' and you know how they do, they kind of make you wait for it. It was getting close to Double or Nothing, and Cody called me. He said, 'would you like to work a match with me?"

Dustin noted that he and Cody had pitched facing each other on a big stage in WWE many times, but were always met with resistance. Dustin admitted that while he wanted to face Cody at Double or Nothing he had some reservations.

The 51-year-old was worried about whether he could keep up and how the crowd would receive him, but the decision to go to AEW worked out well, as he and Cody put on what many considered to be one of the best matches of the year.

Now, Dustin is a key part of the AEW roster and will compete in the semifinals of the TNT Championship tournament against Lance Archer on Wednesday's episode of Dynamite after beating Kip Sabian in the first round last week.

While Dustin will likely primarily be used to teach younger stars and put them over, he is seemingly in a good spot in AEW and happy with his role.

Gargano Calls Triple H a 'Genius'

Johnny Gargano has been one of the faces of NXT for the past few years, and it is clear that he has a great deal of respect for his boss.

Triple H founded NXT several years ago as a developmental territory and has helped build it into a legitimate third brand for WWE. While the talent has played a big role in that, so has Triple H's knack for creative booking.

During an interview this week with Planeta Wrestling (h/t Felix Upton of Ringside News), Johnny Wrestling spoke highly of Triple H's mind for the business:

"I'm lucky to be working with Triple H. He's a genius. I'm not just saying that because he's my boss. I'm saying that because it's true. I've worked hand in hand with him kind of piecing things together and he always has these ideas that are just next level. He thinks on a different platform like no one else."

NXT has long been heralded as the best-booked show in not only WWE, but professional wrestling as a whole. Triple H is one of the people behind it, and Gargano has played a big role in the success of the brand as an on-screen performer as well.

Gargano's long-running rivalry with Tommaso Ciampa is among the best and most memorable wrestling feuds in years, and it culminated a few weeks ago in an hour-long, cinematic match on NXT TV.

Ciampa and Gargano seem to be splitting off with Ciampa entering into a feud with Karrion Kross and Gargano starting a heel act with his wife Candice LeRae, but with Triple H at the helm, it is safe to assume he will find a logical and entertaining way to utilize all involved.

Chelsea Green Talks Zack Ryder's WWE Release

Chelsea Green is a rising star in the NXT women's division, but the past couple of weeks have put her in a unique position, as two people very close to her parted ways with WWE.

Green's fiance, Zack Ryder, and one of her best friends, Deonna Purrazzo, were both released from WWE as part of wide-ranging budgets cuts amid the coronavirus pandemic.

During an interview with the Win Column Sports Network (h/t WrestlingInc.com's Marc Middleton), discussed what it was like to watch her fiance and best friend lose their jobs:

"I know, and everyone on social media's like 'Oh my god, poor Chelsea!' I'm like, well, no, I have a job, I'm very, very thankful that I have a job, because who knows? If this cut had've come three months ago, I might not have had a job. It was just you had to be in the right place, or the wrong place, at the wrong time. Unfortunately, this is not the first time that this has happened. This has been happening all over the world in every profession, and it's really, really unfortunate that two of the people who are closest to me in my life were released, but on the other hand, both of them are going to go on to do so much more, and I would feel terrible if that wasn't the case, but that's the case."

Green noted that both Ryder and Purrazzo have "so much potential" and noted that she is "excited" to see what they're able to do once they're able to take bookings.

Of all the released that occurred, Ryder's was among the most surprising since he had been with WWE as a main roster wrestler uninterrupted since 2007 and originally signed a developmental deal with the company back in 2015.

While much of Ryder's time in WWE was spent as a lower-card performer, he won both the Intercontinental and United States Championships and held the Tag Team titles on multiple occasions with Curt Hawkins.

Purrazzo officially signed with WWE in 2018 after experiencing success in Ring of Honor, Impact Wrestling and other companies. While the 25-year-old is supremely talented, she never got a true push in NXT.

Now isn't an ideal time for anyone in wrestling to get released since the COVID-19 pandemic has limited their ability to quickly find work elsewhere, but both Ryder and Purrazzo are talented performers who will have plenty to offer any number of companies in the future.

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