10 Biggest Highlights Of Cody Rhodes' AEW Career

10. His long term rivalry with Darby Allin

While less flashy and memorable than his best matches and promos, his long term role building up talent and securing AEW’s future was arguably more important. His slow-burn rivalry with Darby Allin is the best example of this.

From a shock draw when Darby was a relative unknown to putting him over for the TNT title, Cody and Darby have had some great matches that helped make Allin the star he is today.

This was a rivalry premised not on a war of words, sneak attacks or a traditional good guy Vs bad guy dynamic. Instead, it was all about the growing, grudging respect of the younger man from the veteran. Both over the course of their rivalry and within the bodies of their matches.

That draw, in particular, put over Darby as a prospect to watch for the future, with a confident Cody initially showboating, only to find himself scrambling for victory in an increasingly desperate final five minutes.

Darby taking the TNT title from Cody also helped take him to the next level of his career. He may be back in that title’s orbit once again but he’s now elevated to a point where he doesn’t even really need a belt to stay over. If anything Darby could help Sammy Guevara level up by doing a job. Cody was a big part of putting him where he is today.