10 Secret Genius Details Behind Wrestler Entrances
1. Cody's Entrance Tunnel
Cody Rhodes has a core professional wrestling philosophy: there is no such thing as a "babyface" and a "heel" in the 21st century.
He has stated this position adamantly throughout his post-WWE run, and has realised it in AEW. His very first AEW match was a masterpiece of texture; he entered the ring as the saviour of pro wrestling and worked the match against older brother Dustin as a heel flexing his superior athleticism to inform the intensely emotional crux.
This mentality is illustrated visually by his individual entrance tunnel. There are babyface and heel tunnels erected to put over the kayfabe-friendly idea that the acts are fighting out of different camps, but Cody, the EVP that bet on a new movement, emerges from his own. Cody is no moron blinded by self-sucking hubris. He knew that every revolution needs a charismatic leader to galvanise the disenchanted, and he positioned himself as precisely that. Of course, this is received subjectively.
Just like he wants it to be: he knew well enough that he was courting a backlash, and this self-aggrandising entrance allowed him to play situational heel in his bid to make various emerging stars throughout 2020.
It's a star entrance that amplifies the conceit; when a wrestler beats Cody, and it's happened more than the bad faith takes suggest, those wrestlers beat a star - and gets over as one in the process.