AEW Must Create New Stars During Cody’s Lengthy Absence

AEW must move forward without one of the company’s biggest stars, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

According to a report from PWInsider.com (h/t WrestlingNews.co), former TNT Champion Cody Rhodes will be out of action indefinitely after being written off TV on a recent episode of AEW Dynamite: “Following the brutal attack by Brodie Lee’s Dark Order, Cody Rhodes is expected to be off AEW TV for a while. PWInsider reported today that Rhodes will be off TV for an extended period to sell the beating he took from Lee. It was also noted that the timing could have to do with the STARZ wrestling series ‘Heels’ that is going into production. Stephen Amell specifically asked for Rhodes to be a part of the series when it was announced last year.”

Rhodes, known simply as Cody in AEW, has arguably been the company’s MVP in 2020. He’s raised his promo game to an elite level, has consistently put on great matches on AEW Dynamite and done so all while also serving as a backstage executive and, in many ways, the face of the company as a whole. Cody finds himself in a difficult position that is not unlike the one Triple H has had in WWE, where he has served in a major backstage role and performed as a wrestler simultaneously.

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That is, of course, no easy task, and Cody has been an easy target for criticism, drawing comparisons to Triple H because he’s been featured so heavilyd on AEW Dynamite and—in the eyes of some—has “buried” up-and-coming talent like Jungle Boy, Scorpio Sky and Darby Allin by beating them during his impressive run of matches and his reign as AEW’s TNT Champion. But what Cody did for Lee on AEW Dynamite on his way can’t be understated: He put over Lee huge by losing to the former WWE star in a mere three minutes in a fashion that was eerily similar to the way Brock Lesnar once squashed both John Cena and Randy Orton.

Though Cody is yet to reach the level of someone like Cena, he is similar to “The Champ” in a lot of ways, most notably in that he is the heart and soul of the company he works for and isn’t appreciated as much as he should be for how good he is in the ring. That doesn’t make Cody’s AEW run a thing of perfection. There are certainly things AEW could have done differently with him over its first year on TV. But as AEW’s TV audience has continued to impress WarnerMedia Executives, it’s hard to disagree that the greatness of Cody has played a big role in AEW’s early success on TNT.

But because Cody has gotten so much focus on AEW Dynamite—with high-profile feuds against stars like MJF and Lance Archer, an over-the-top entrance and promo time galore—he has been clearly established as the brand’s top babyface, even despite the fact that he can never challenge for the AEW World title and despite his recent heel tendencies. With Cody now expected to be out of action indefinitely, that presents AEW with a golden opportunity to allow a rising star—or two or three—to step up to the occasion in his absence.

One of the best things about AEW is the way it has slowly but surely begun launching previously unknown talents to full-blown super-stardom. While AEW’s women’s division remains a problem area in terms of its booking, the company has done a masterful job of elevating stars who weren’t mainstream names in pro wrestling just a year ago, a list that includes heels like MJF and babyfaces like Jungle Boy, Orange Cassidy, Adam Page and Allin.

When Cena started appearing for WWE less frequently, the company was forced to rely on new talents at the top of the card, which it did with the likes of Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns. While Cody certainly isn’t Cena, a lengthy absence for the former TNT Champion will free up a lot of space on Dynamite much like Cena’s lengthy hiatuses have done in the past. Especially with Cody recently putting on long matches on Dynamite on a weekly basis, the impact of his departure can’t be overstated: It will result in plenty of extra TV time for stars who badly need it, and it will force AEW to put more focus on the rising babyfaces who can carry the company for the next decade or more.

While Cody’s brief absence will leave AEW with a big star power gap, it will also leave the company with a major opportunity to create a new star to make up for it.