Will Cody Rhodes Capture the AEW Championship in 2021?

Cody Rhodes is one of the finest wrestlers in the world, maybe even the best of his generation. His contributions to wrestling are unparalleled and might just be the best promoter in the world right now. However, there is one title that the American Nightmare cannot win, and that is the premium title of his own company, the AEW World Championship.

Why can’t Cody Rhodes not challenge for the AEW Title?

In 2019, when AEW was still a young sapling that would become that massive oak tree that supports a large roster, Cody Rhodes challenged for the AEW Championship.

His opponent was none other than Le Champion, Chris Jericho, In the run up to the huge match, the wrestling community criticized Cody for his decision to insert himself into the title match at Full Gear.

On the November 6th episode of AEW Dynamite, Cody revealed he did not want the same criticisms his father received when he was a booker.

“For the cold and sterile historians of our business, there’s an air of controversy that surrounds it. It’s from the simple fact that those men were also in addition to being competitors, they were management.

“When I hear the same criticism attached to my name; being management, being in title match, I can’t not hear it. And with that said, I am announcing that if I do not defeat Chris Jericho at Full Gear, I will never challenge for the AEW World Championship again.”

These words would come back to haunt Cody after he lost to Jericho at Full Gear.

Can the American Nightmare challenge for the AEW Title?

The reason Rhodes lost at Full Gear was because his protege MJF threw in the towel for him. Jericho locked Rhodes in the Liontamer and was bleeding profusely from his forehead.

Seeing his bloody visage, MJF threw in the towel for him and cost him the AEW Title forever. After the match, MFJ turned on Cody, booting him where the sun doesn’t shine.

Cody faced MJF at Revolution in February 2020, but lost that match too. Fans expected Cody to win that match and find his way back into the title picture.

Fortunately for him, the TNT Championship worked just fine. Cody made the TNT Championship instantly prestigious and has now brought it on par with the WWE Intercontinental Championship.

Despite his work with the secondary title, Rhodes’ career will still feel empty without the AEW World Championship. However, there is one ingenious way of ensuring Cody gets one more shot at the AEW World Championship.

Cody Rhodes vs Kenny Omega

The current AEW World Champion is the best wrestler in the world. He is also an executive vice-president who turned his back on his Elite stablemates and absconded to IMPACT Wrestling. If there’s anyone who can bring Kenny Omega to justice, it isn’t Tony Khan; it’s Cody Rhodes.

If Omega threatens to hand over the AEW World Championship to Don Callis, it will be up to Cody to get the main title back to AEW. This will be a Cena/Punk MITB 2011 type situation, but with the roles reversed. This might be the only way to ensure that Cody Rhodes wins the AEW World Championship in the future.