10 Most Incredible Wrestling Moments Of 2019 (So Far)

9. "I Need My Older Brother"

Cody Dustin Rhodes Double or Nothing
AEW

Fans were understandably dubious of Cody vs. Dustin Rhodes heading into Double Or Nothing.

While Dustin is amongst the most underrated workers of all time and his younger brother has evolved into an excellent showman, their clash had a lot going against it. At 50 years old, Dustin hadn't wrestled in the best part of a year and was coming off double knee surgery, and Cody's pre-match patter about "killing the Attitude Era" didn't resonate with as broad a section of the fanbase as intended. It could've bombed.

But it didn't.

Rhodes vs. Rhodes was a spectacular bloodbath that harked back to a classic style of wrestling synonymous with their family name, perfectly calibrated to generate immense drama and emotion. An age-defying performance from Dustin and Cody's career-best, its heft was such that only a soulless robot couldn't feel something by the end.

The younger sibling's post-match speech will be replayed in video packages for years to come; particularly that last line. Hyping his upcoming match with The Young Bucks, he said: "I don't need a partner, I don't need a friend... I need my older brother."

And then came their bloody, teary-eyed embrace, and the reminder that wrestling, at its best, should rip you apart before putting you back together again - as it did for the Rhodes family.

Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.