14 Ups & 4 Downs For AEW In 2020

11. Cody's TNT Title Run

Cody Eddie Kingston
AEW

The design of the plate mirrored the subsequent arc: it was unfinished, unvarnished, and earned the prestige that was ultimately decorated upon it.

Cody Rhodes made a pro wrestling title because the man makes the title. Cody was the man, the constant in a sometimes uneven summer, and this run cemented his rep as an Elite-level talent.

He gave Marq Quen the best singles match of his life by encouraging him to explore the depth of his range beyond the fireworks. He coaxed an aggression and emotion from Sonny Kiss. In an all-action thriller pitting intelligence against brute strength, he got the best AEW effort yet out of Jake Hager. His handsome flexing battle with Ricky Starks earned his opponent a contract. The same thing happened following his beautifully ugly war with Eddie Kingston.

Both matches made a total mockery of the idea that Cody buries his opponents by accomplishing the precise opposite of a burial.

His selfless work in both defeat and victory created an aura around Mr. Brodie Lee that hardcore fans had always projected onto him, and, in a classic with Darby Allin at Full Gear, Cody wrapped up a legacy programme to put over AEW's big in-house project huge.

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Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!