Ranking All 29 WWE Returns And Debuts In 2022
1. Cody Rhodes
How do you put someone who only wrestled eight matches over
two-plus months before getting injured at #1, but Cody Rhodes’ departure from
AEW and return to WWE was viewed as a seismic shift to the wrestling landscape.
Rhodes arrived as Seth Rollins’ surprise opponent at WrestleMania 38, blowing the roof off the stadium. What’s more, they had an excellent match, and then a tremendous series that culminated inside Hell in a Cell, where the American Nightmare reached legendary status by wrestling with a torn pectoral that would put him on the shelf for the rest of the year.
It wasn’t just Rhodes leaving the company he helped found; it was how he was presented and booked in WWE. Cody wasn’t just some returning superstar. He was booked on a level atop the entire roster, winning all his matches and being presented as something special. Rhodes looked like he could be a needle-mover for WWE, which they desperately have been craving.
If WWE can manage to rekindle that momentum upon his return,
they could have another made man on the roster. Here’s hoping they can pull it
off.