Top 10 Wrestlers of 2018: Cody Rhodes

Last year I took a few weeks to put together a top 10 list going through the top wrestlers from the previous year. The list really broke down exactly why in my opinion these wrestlers actually belonged on the list or fell where they did on the list. Some names will show up on both this list and last years list and it is really possible that they are in the spot as last year too. Let's get to the list: 

Since his departure from WWE we have seen a different side of Cody Rhodes one that I think some people didn't even know existed. Cody has become an international superstar in the last two years and his association with The Elite/Bullet Club has only helped make him a bigger star. In reality New Japan gave him the stage and The Elite gave him a new identity. Starting a Wrestle Kingdom 12 with his underrated match against Kota Ibushi and then moving ahead to the developing rivalry between Omega & Cody. The first half of 2018 was a great year for Cody and then moving onto the second half of the year that is when it became very different. 

For the most part the last decade or so the WWE has been the only game in town for talent to be featured on a large scale. However, last September something happened that hadn't taken place in the world of wrestling since the days of WCW. On September 1, 2018 an independent wrestling event not only drew 10,000 people but sold out a 10,000 seat arena which is incredible. For Cody's part in that alone he belong on this list, but also the fact that he became NWA Worlds Champion at that event is another reason for him to be here. Also pointing out that for a time Cody was a double champion holding the IWGP United States Championship and NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship at the same time. 

Now with the announcement of All Elite Wrestling it is clear that 2019 will be an even bigger year for The Elite than 2018 was and the real question what can they do next. Cody has shown that you don't need to be in WWE to be a major star anymore and he's taken advantage of the opportunity he was given & ran with it. Considering I will be talking about AEW a lot more in the coming weeks and months I thought that kicking off this section of the site with anything else would've been criminal as this is the perfect way to kick off the new section. Welcome to the age of "All Elite Wrestling!!"l