WWE's AJ Styles Calls Cody Rhodes a Quitter in NJPW, ROH, and AEW (2024)

Cody Rhodes and AJ Styles' rivalry has gone from merely competitive to something more personal, especially after the vicious attack on Rhodes two weeks ago. Rhodes was fired up when he came back to SmackDown, and the two ended up in a brawl by the end of the night. Cut to tonight's SmackDown, and the two had one final face-to-face meeting ahead of their Undisputed WWE Championship match at Clash at the Castle, where Styles took aim at Cody's past. Styles took several shots at Rhodes, but the biggest one was calling him someone who has quit everywhere he's been, including Ring of Honor, New Japan, and AEW.

Styles wanted to distance himself from Rhodes, saying, "We are nothing alike, you know that right? Let me remind you and everyone else that it took me 17 years to climb the ladder to get to WWE." Crowd chants started, telling Styles to shut up. Styles challenged the crowd a bit right after, saying they didn't want the truth about their favorite superstar.

Is @CodyRhodes a quitter? 👀@AJStylesOrg #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/9sCKWevDNX

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) June 15, 2024

"Nobody wants the truth, here's the truth you bunch of idiots. They welcomed you with open arms. They couldn't wait to make Cody Rhodes a star, but when it got tough, what did you do Cody? You quit the WWE," Styles said. After boos from the crowd, Styles continued, saying, "Oh you didn't like that? I got news for ya, he also quit New Japan Pro Wrestling. Doesn't stop there. You quit Ring of Honor. This man, right here, helped start up a company and you quit it too. Face it Cody. You can't handle the pressure. What's that old saying, when the going gets tough, Cody Rhodes gets going."

Rhodes took it in stride and addressed Styles' claims directly. "You are right AJ. I have made some big decisions in my career. I walked away from WWE, I walked away from New Japan. I walked away from Ring of Honor. My buddies and I started somewhere else and I walked away there too. The truth is I have never been afraid to walk away to chase something greater. I did not quit. I did not quit. Instead I bet on myself that I was something more. I gambled on myself, and AJ...I was right. If I had quit, I would not be standing here holding the North Star of the WWE, the most important Title in the entire game. I would not be standing here WWE Champion."

"You're someone that I idolized my entire career. You did things right. You did things honorable. If anybody quit, you quit on yourself," Rhodes said. "Because what did it take to get a WWE Championship rematch? You had to pretend to be Mark Henry for a night huh? If anything, the phenomenal one has become a resentful coward, and that is a bitter pill to swallow, but I have no problem shoving that pill down your throat and making you say I quit!"

Styles took one last shot at Rhodes, picking up on Rhodes saying the words I quit. "You see how natural it is to make these words, I quit? It's natural for you. I can't quit being phenomenal," Styles said. "Damn Cody don't you know, my family would rather have me at home. They'd like me to give all this up. They're tired of me putting my body on the line night, after night, after night, but I'll tell you, these people in Glasgow, the whole WWE universe the same thing I told them. I am done when I say I'm done."

What have you thought of SmackDown? You can talk all things wrestling with me on Threads and Twitter @mattaguilarcb!