10 Future AEW World Champions
9. Cody
Life is about putting your money where your mouth is, but having the chutzpah to do so doesn't automatically lead to positive results. Cody found that out the hard way at AEW Full Gear; failing to defeat Chris Jericho for the AEW World Championship meant he could never challenge for the title ever again.
The AEW executive vice president has stated in the past that AEW is committed to honouring the stipulations it sets, another point of difference between itself and WWE. That is all good and well, but it also means that Cody can never challenge for his promotion's most prestigious title. Does anyone actually believe that that will remain the case?
Of course not. This is professional wrestling, a world where entertainment and story trump honour and commitment. There are multiple ways that AEW can engineer a situation where Cody challenges for the title and wins it in emotional circumstances. You only need to look at the arrogant stud who cost him his opportunity back in November 2019.
Truth be told, MJF had little choice. Cody wasn't getting out of the Liontamer, and throwing in the towel was absolutely the right thing to do. Did Maxwell James Friedman need to kick Cody in the balls immediately after? Probably not. MJF has taken the credit for removing Cody from the picture and making the American Nightmare's life hell in the process, and if that doesn't scream 'Cody eventually goading MJF into an AEW Championship match' then I don't know what does.