AEW News: Cody Rhodes Says Company Has Big Plans For Controversial Superstar
Orange Cassidy is one of the most polarizing performers in the wrestling industry. While he’s beloved by fans, some of the purists and experts believe that his character is bad for the business, as his lazy demeanor makes the fake aspect of sports entertainment really show. However, he’s been a big hit in All Elite Wrestling, and now, Cody Rhodes has revealed that the company has big plans for him.
As quoted by Wrestling Inc, Rhodes recently sat down with Busted Open Wrestling and discussed the rising star. According to the AEW vice president, the fan support of Cassidy is huge, but they’re biding their time before they pull the trigger on his inevitable push.
“The Orange Cassidy fandom and hysteria — which is beautiful and funny and everything to see — it’s definitely something we’re gonna expand upon. The one thing I wanna avoid is people almost taking advantage of the fandom – and this is a weird outlook on it – but I think you know what I mean.”
Cassidy’s gimmick involves him keeping his hands in his pockets and barely tapping his opponents with his kicks. While that rarely sees him win confrontations, Rhodes assured listeners of Busted Open Radio that they can expect to see more of his in-ring talent soon.
“He has to continue to take a bigger spotlight because there is so much more. The individual, Orange Cassidy, can go bell-to-bell and when he goes, it’s gonna be a really special night.”
"So what were you doing in the bathroom?"….@orangecassidy shares some exclusive insights into his actions in Nashville last week
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Rhodes also noted how Cassidy’s rise has been organic, and the company doesn’t want to interfere with his momentum. He compared company executives taking charge of something this organic as being like a record company getting behind people’s favorite band. According to Rhodes, too much creative influence over their style can “dilute” what makes them special in the eyes of the fans, and he doesn’t want Cassidy to end up being perceived that way.
The AEW co-founder also stated that fans can expect to see more Cassidy merchandise added to the store soon, including t-shirts and his trademark attire, which is essentially a pair of jeans, a white shirt, a denim jacket and a pair of shades. The company plans on “taking care” of the superstar, and he’ll likely become one of their most successful merchandise sellers.
While it’s clear that the company is letting Cassidy have a lot of creative input in regards to his character, his booking will be overseen by Tony Khan. As The Inquisitr reported yesterday, the AEW president has been more hands-on in recent weeks, but he is focusing on long-term storytelling.
