10 Reasons 2022 Was Wrestling's WILDEST Year Ever
3. Cody Rhodes Leaves AEW For WWE
During WrestleMania 38, it would be understandable if you
thought you had just seen the two biggest, wildest stories of the year with
Austin returning to the ring and Cody Rhodes doing the unthinkable and making
his way back to WWE itself.
But aside from Shane McMahon’s Royal Rumble adventures, nothing else on this list had even happened yet!
Cody’s story is well documented: He announced in February that he was leaving AEW and not signing a new contract. Immediately, the speculation began about him returning to WWE. That sort of thing seemed impossible just a few months prior, with Rhodes being a central figure in AEW, both in front of and behind the camera. And yet, unbelievably, it happened.
The Fed stans (or Vincels if you’d prefer) were salivating at the prospect of one of AEW’s founding architects leaving and heading to the competition so soon. And truthfully, they were right that this was a colossal story.
Rhodes was immediately presented as a top star in WWE, defeating Seth Rollins in a critically acclaimed three-match feud that culminated inside Hell in a Cell, where Cody wrestled with a torn pectoral, just to add to his legacy even more.
Rhodes’ move showed that this wasn’t just a one-direction conveyer belt from WWE to AEW and opened possibilities of others rejoining WWE. Cody also instantly became a main-event star that WWE so desperately needed, and his return and ensuing storyline also could be a top story next year.