A wrestler from AEW reflected on Cody Rhodes’ past strategy, suggesting that it would have “made more sense” if he had pursued it. Before his 2022 return to WWE, Cody Rhodes spent three years with All Elite Wrestling, where he was both an executive vice president and an active in-ring competitor. Although Rhodes missed the chance to become AEW World Champion after losing to Chris Jericho at AEW Full Gear 2019, he did secure his third consecutive TNT Championship, solidifying the title as AEW’s secondary men’s championship. During his initial TNT Championship reign, Rhodes issued open challenges to both signed and unsigned wrestlers, introducing talents like Ricky Starks and Eddie Kingston.
In a chat with Nick Club Wrestling Happy Hour, Brian Cage shared his thoughts about why it would have been more fitting for Cody to challenge unsigned wrestlers while holding the 2020 FTW Championship, an unofficial title. Cage remarked, “When Cody Rhodes held the TNT Title and defended it against unsigned talent, I felt as the FTW Champion that I should do the same because it’s an ‘unconfirmed title.’ I thought, ‘Oh, it makes more sense to fight unsigned talent.’ I’m not sure if I thought it was cooler that way.” Cage also touched on the spontaneous debut of the FTW Championship on AEW TV.
Fan Take: This insight into Cody Rhodes’ approach sheds light on the creative booking in AEW and highlights how the company uses championship titles to elevate new talent. For AEW fans, it underscores the importance of innovation and opportunity within the sport, promising exciting developments and fresh rivalries on the horizon.
