Brandi Rhodes was preparing to make a full-time wrestling comeback in 2022—but watching her daughter cry every time she left the ring changed everything.
After departing AEW with Cody Rhodes, Brandi spent two weeks training and working practice matches at the WWE Performance Center. She entered the process intending to return for real, not simply shake off some ring rust. Brandi explained on Shot of Brandi that she felt ready to wrestle again after giving birth to the couple’s daughter, Liberty.
“I wanted to come back fully, in full swing because I had Liberty and I felt like I was ready to be back wrestling full-time. I went to the PC. They had me there for two weeks.”
The former AEW star said she enjoyed the experience and trained with WWE veterans Norman Smiley and Fit Finlay, along with several women who later became regular faces on television. However, what happened outside the ring made her reconsider the entire comeback.
“I had a great time, and I enjoyed it so much. I worked a lot with Norman, Fit and a lot of girls who are on right now. Every time I stepped out of the ring, my daughter was crying and holding onto me. It was very hard.”
That reaction hit Brandi hard. Instead of following up and pushing for an official return, she decided the demands of wrestling full-time—including traveling while injured—would not work for her family.
“I did not do the follow-up that I should have to get in the ring. I felt like I didn’t think I could do it. I don’t think I can live on a bus with this kid needing me 24/7 when I’m hurt. They don’t reach for dad, they reach for mom.”
Brandi’s wrestling career began after she signed with WWE in 2011. She trained in Florida Championship Wrestling before becoming better known as ring announcer and interviewer Eden. After leaving WWE in 2016, she competed for promotions including Impact Wrestling, Ring of Honor and Stardom.
She later joined AEW as its Chief Brand Officer while also performing on television and wrestling as part of the Nightmare Collective. Her last official match came against KiLynn King on the January 31, 2022 episode of AEW Dark: Elevation, shortly before Brandi and Cody left the company. It was later confirmed that she trained at WWE’s Performance Center that summer but never returned for an official match.
Brandi has still appeared on WWE programming since stepping away from the ring, including joining Cody for his entrance at WrestleMania 40. Her latest explanation makes it clear that the opportunity to return was there, but being present for Liberty mattered more than another run inside the squared circle.
Do you think Brandi Rhodes made the right decision by walking away from her WWE in-ring comeback to focus on her daughter? Leave your feedback in the comments.
