AEW has picked up a lot of former WWE Superstars since it launched three years ago. So many that the still-young company has been criticized for it. It might not seem like it right now, but there will come a time when wrestlers go back the other way, and even a time when talent is moving between companies all the time.

Cody Rhodes' Contract Status

MJF continues to tease he might be one of those people in 2024, and WWE is reportedly very interested in Wardlow, which makes a lot of sense. One wrestler most fans wouldn't expect to see in WWE again is Cody Rhodes. However, when news broke of Rhodes' not signing a new deal in AEW, everyone started to speculate on what his immediate future might hold.

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Rhodes has continued to appear on AEW TV since, challenging Sammy Guevara to a ladder match and then proceeding to lose it last night on Dynamite. Rhodes was interviewed backstage after the match, at which point he emotionally confirmed he currently doesn't have an AEW contract. “I’m working here without a contract. I’m not even on payroll anymore. I’m working here on a handshake deal,” Rhodes revealed.

Could Cody Be In The Rumble?

What The American Nightmare didn't divulge is why exactly he hasn't signed a new deal. There must be a reason for it, and until fans know, the speculation will continue. The simple answer is Rhodes and Tony Khan can't come to terms on the finer details of a new contract. Perhaps there's some very boring reason tied to backstage paperwork for Rhodes working on a handshake deal rather than a contract.

However, until this weekend's Royal Rumble has been and gone, a lot of fans will be thinking, “I know it isn't going to happen, but what if it did?” What if Rhodes and Khan have agreed to hold off on signing a new deal since once he signs it, Rhodes won't be allowed to wrestle outside of AEW? It's very unlikely, but the wrestling landscape has become so wild these last few years, it definitely isn't impossible.