>>5278768Because swapping company was basically a character reset.
His basic American Hero wrestler with a dark streak character wasn't working the smaller setting AND refusing to be a heel where it would most certainly fit the AEW roster better with its faulty and often pigeon holed heels working only with select talent made him unpalatable and push out faces of that audience.
Cody is being subtly packaged as returning star, even though he never actually wrestled as himself and it somehow works when he says the right things.
"I want belt X because reason X"
"I'm humble and happy to be here"
There's motivation being displayed, he says things that sound like babyface noises.
And most of all, people been looking at Black and Red themed Roman for two years, with most champs big matches ending up as a disappointment that a run of the mill red-white-and-blue character is a welcome sight to a lot of fans.
