What If... Cody Rhodes NEVER Finishes His Story In WWE

Rhodes' jump to WWE from AEW was a moment that changed the industry. Not quite as much as 'The American Nightmare' and co.'s decision to create a wrestling alternative, but it was still pretty important.

From the magnificent way Cody was presented during his mind-blowing comeback at WrestleMania 38, to the way he was subsequently treated and booked over the next few years, the former All Elite man wasn't just used as a way to make Tony Khan's promotion look inferior and pathetic by comparison - he was built as a returning hero, destined to become the company's new poster boy.

That shift was huge.

And the call to not simply routinely embarrass the figure partly responsible for WWE's biggest rivals possibly influenced a number of other talented faces to give this new version of all things sports entertainment a try.

That 'Mania 39 heartbreaker aside, Rhodes has been booked superbly during this second run, and finally crowning him next month would tell the world that even a former AEW EVP can win the big one in this new WWE if you're willing to put in the work.

Should the opposite go down in April, though, those considering giving 'Papa H's playground a go at the end of their current deals in AEW, NJPW, and elsewhere may just think twice about putting pen to paper on a WWE contract.