Cody Rhodes On Leaving AEW For WWE, Meeting With Vince, WrestleMania 39 Loss To Roman Reigns
Insight's most-watched wrestling sit-down: the leaving-AEW decision, the meeting that brought him back, and the loss that set up finishing the story.
Media & Creators
Chris Van Vliet
Emmy-winning host who runs the top long-form wrestler-interview show in the space, Insight with Chris Van Vliet.
Who he is
Chris Van Vliet is an interviewer and podcast host whose primary work is sitting down with wrestlers and entertainers, not performing in the ring. His show, Insight with Chris Van Vliet, has become the leading long-form destination for wrestler interviews, built on unhurried conversations rather than quick soundbites.
He is a media figure, so he does not appear on the athlete grid. For the in-ring roster he covers, see the wrestlers directory.
The platform
Insight with Chris Van Vliet runs as a podcast and across two YouTube channels, with a combined audience of around two million subscribers. On November 6, 2025, Van Vliet joined the Cumulus Podcast Network, which now distributes the show.
The format is the differentiator: full-length interviews that let guests talk through their careers, rather than short press hits. That is why so many wrestlers use the show to tell longer versions of their stories.
Featured sit-down
The definitive Cody Rhodes conversation. He walks through leaving AEW, the meeting that brought him back to WWE, and the WrestleMania 39 loss to Roman Reigns that set up finishing the story a year later. Press play to watch it here.
Best sit-downs
14 on fileThe conversations that made Insight the place wrestlers go when they finally want to talk. Every one plays in-page, and every guest links back into the Wrestle Lore database.
Notable interviews
Guests on Insight with Chris Van Vliet include wrestlers with full profiles on this site. A few of them:
Guest
The Rock
Hollywood crossover star and eight-time WWF/WWE Champion.
GuestJohn Cena
Sixteen-time world champion and one of WWE's biggest draws.
GuestBatista
Dave Bautista, Evolution powerhouse turned actor.
GuestChris Jericho
First Undisputed Champion and a constant reinventor.
GuestBecky Lynch
The Man; headlined WrestleMania 35 in the main event.
GuestCody Rhodes
The American Nightmare who finished his story at WrestleMania.
FAQ
What show does Chris Van Vliet host?
Insight with Chris Van Vliet, a long-form interview show released as a podcast and across two YouTube channels with a combined audience of around two million subscribers.
Is Chris Van Vliet a wrestler?
No. He is a media figure whose primary work is interviewing wrestlers and other entertainers, not performing in the ring.
What network is Chris Van Vliet with?
He joined the Cumulus Podcast Network on November 6, 2025, which distributes Insight with Chris Van Vliet.