Former WWE Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes, son of late-great Hall Of Famer Dusty Rhodes, has established himself as one of professional wrestling's most notable stars since leaving the promotion last year.

Rhodes decided to walk away from the WWE back in May of last year, citing creative differences with the company as well as being frustrated with his position on the card. Rhodes was then dubbing the gimmick of Stardust, a rip-off of his brother Goldust's gimmick that didn't seem to be going anywhere after the first few months.

He was granted his release and jumped into the independent circuit where he did work for various promotions such as Ring of Honor (ROH), Global Force Wrestling (GFW) (formerly known as Impact Wrestling or TNA), New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), and many more. As of late, Rhodes has begun to look into finding a more permanent home once again, as he has been traveling the world the past year as he works the indie scene.

This has led to speculation that he could eventually be returning to WWE, but that still remains unclear. Recently, Rhodes did an interview with The Charlotte Observer to discuss his successful career since leaving WWE, and also talked about his time with the company.

During the interview, Rhodes actually revealed that he had been 'planning his escape' from WWE six months prior to his departure (quotes via Wrestling Inc.):

"I was just talking about this and it's made the difference. When guys leave – whether they decide to leave or they're forced out – there's usually this period of time we see them around the world and they can ride that WWE wave and use it, and then it goes away.

"It loses its luster after a few months. I planned my escape for six months before I left. I loved WWE, but in the end I was unhappy. It was just like planning an escape from a maximum security prison.

"I'd released a list of potential opponents online so when the 90-day no-compete clause was up, I had matches booked on good faith. I thought about the follow-up."

What are your thoughts on Rhodes having prepared for his departure from WWE? Do you think we'll ever see him return to WWE in the future? Have YOUR say in the comments section below and the fourth episode of GiveMeSport’s WWE podcast is here!

Check it out via this link: https://soundcloud.com/user-818579649/gms-wwe-podcast-money-in-the-bank-fallout