10 Wrestlers Who Became Successful Bookers

There's only one man Cody is hoping to emulate as AEW's wrestler-cum-booker: his father Dusty Rhodes.

The American Dream was already a star of the NWA when he was handed the book by Jim Crockett Promotions in 1985. Directing his own fate, both the promotion - and himself - became even greater successes.

Dusty wasn't shy about thrusting himself in the spotlight, but he did so in the firm knowledge the whole territory would benefit. Rhodes emphasised his empathetic everyman character, handpicking a series of heels who would act as perfect foil. Ric Flair was already a star in his own right in the NWA, but in contrast and contention to Dusty, he became the industry's finest ever champion.

It was somewhat ironic that in spite of Dusty's old-school mentality, he innovated the industry in ways that would shape their burgeoning and ultimately bigger competitor over in Connecticut. The promotion of 'supercards' paved the way for a certain CCTV success out of New York, whilst his knack for development exciting new match concepts would be adopted widescale by an industry increasingly focused on 'entertainment'.

The famed 'Dusty finish' wasn't actually invented by the man whose name it took, but such was Rhodes' significance that it became synonymous. If Cody can earn even a fraction of his father's cache behind the book, AEW will enjoy anything but 'hard times'.