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Dustin Rhodes has been a flagbearer of AEW since the company first began in 2019. The Natural wrestled his first match for the promotion at Double or Nothing 2019, where he fought against Cody Rhodes in one of the most emotional singles matches of all time.
The 55-year-old star earned the appreciation of the AEW audience that night. The former Goldust has been a loyal asset to Tony Khan for five years and his stature has continued to grow over time. Aside from being an incredible in-ring worker, Rhodes has also emerged as a mentor figure for the young stars.
The Son of Texas recently took to his social media to share a groundbreaking update. The veteran announced that he has signed a multi-year agreement with the Tony Khan-led company, seemingly confirming that his retirement match would take place in the Jacksonville-based promotion.
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The Natural's decision to continue with AEW has surprised a section of wrestling fans, who had expected him to reunite with Cody Rhodes in WWE. In this article, let's look at three reasons why Dustin Rhodes has chosen to end his career in AEW and not WWE.
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#3. Dustin Rhodes may not fit on the current WWE roster
Dustin Rhodes has constantly strived to better himself since joining All Elite Wrestling. During his WWE run, Rhodes was relegated to being a comedic character, who rarely got the chance to spell his magic inside the squared circle.
Since his AEW debut, The Natural has emerged as a top-tier in-ring performer, who could keep up with the very best inside the ring. Despite his surreal transformation at his age, the reigning ROH World Tag Team Champion might not fit in the current era of WWE.
Since taking over the creative department of WWE, Triple H has kept his focus on pushing those stars who could benefit the company in the long run. The Game is a known advocate of long-term storytelling and only brings in those talents who could directly enhance the quality of WWE's storytelling.
At the age of 55, Dustin Rhodes seems to be a better fit for AEW, where he already has a significant presence. Aside from a reunion with Cody Rhodes, the veteran may not have anything to offer to WWE. Triple H's focus is clearly on elevating future stars without relying on any talents past their prime.
This is the same reason why stars like Goldberg and Brock Lesnar have been silently replaced by new names like Jacob Fatu and Bron Breakker. Since the WWE landscape has changed, Rhodes may have decided to continue contributing to All Elite Wrestling.
#2. Dustin Rhodes might get a proper farewell under Tony Khan
If Dustin Rhodes had decided to sign with WWE, he would have surely been welcomed with open arms by Cody Rhodes and Triple H. However, The Game might not have prioritized giving a proper farewell to The Natural, who has been absent from WWE television for the past five years.
Tony Khan, however, is known for giving pro wrestling legends the respect they thoroughly deserve. The head booker of All Elite Wrestling booked a memorable retirement tour for Sting, who finally got to retire on his terms.
At Revolution 2024, The Icon teamed up with Darby Allin to successfully retain the AEW World Tag Team Championships against The Young Bucks. The match took place in the Greensboro Coliseum, where The Stinger won his first World Championship.
From bringing in Sting's sons to signing Ric Flair for a short term, TK did everything in his power to have The Vigilante go out on a high note. Having seen the kind of farewell Sting had, Rhodes might have been tempted to stay with the Jacksonville-based promotion.
The President of AEW thinks very highly of the Son of Texas, who continues to be a prominently featured figure on AEW television. If there is a booker who could give Dustin Rhodes a proper send-off, it is Tony Khan.
#1. A way for The Natural to express his gratitude towards AEW and Tony Khan
Dustin Rhodes could have created a buzz if he had decided to leave AEW for WWE. However, The Natural's loyalty clearly lies towards the Jacksonville-based promotion, which allowed him to have a career resurgence this late in his career.
While announcing his decision to sign a new AEW deal, the reigning ROH World Tag Team Champion penned down an emotional note about his journey in the promotion so far. Rhodes specifically expressed his indebtedness towards Tony Khan, who gave him a platform to prove his worth as an industry veteran.
The 55-year-old star had been written off by many following his exit from WWE. All Elite Wrestling gave Dustin the opportunity to show the world that he could fit in the modern era of wrestling. The TK-led company helped revive Rhodes' passion for pro wrestling, whose love for the business had disappeared during his WWE run.
The Natural takes pride in being an asset to the AEW President, who believed in him during the most difficult time in his life. Rhodes' decision to choose All Elite Wrestling over WWE might be an expression of gratitude towards Tony Khan, who gave him a chance in the final stages of his career.
