10 Precise Moments When AEW Careers Ended
1. Cody Rhodes
You knew this one was topping the list.
The final year or so of Cody's AEW run will always be a talking point. Boos started to rain down on him during a 2021 feud with Malakai Black, and fans even tossed his weight belt back towards the ring on the Thanksgiving Eve edition of Dynamite. Things were not going well on the babyface front.
Wheels were spinning in Rhodes' head backstage too. He's since claimed that Dan Lambert handing him the old WWWF Title, a belt his father had held unofficially in the 1970s, reignited his lust for WWE gold. A 'now or never' thought entered Cody's head, and he decided to make a grand return to Vince McMahon's promotion.
Before leaving, Rhodes lost a TNT Title ladder match to Sammy Guevara on the 26 January episode of Dynamite. There, on AEW's flagship, he could be seen selling on the mat post-defeat. Cody's eyes darted around the place, but they'd soon be firmly focused on WrestleMania 38.
For more wrestling, check out 4 Ups & 3 Downs From AEW Rampage (May 6) and 10 New Directions For WWE After WrestleMania Backlash 2022!