10 Ways "All In" has changed the pro wrestling landscape.

The fact of the matter is, when Cody Rhodes asked for his release from WWE, no one thought much of it. While it was somewhat discombobulating that a long-tenured star with a secure position in the world's largest pro wrestling organization would want to quit, the expectations for Cody's career post-WWE were set low.

Other wrestlers have either been fired or asked for their release, and haven't done very well since. Ryback is struggling to remain relevant on the independent scene, ditto for Tenille Dashwood, while CM Punk has had two losing efforts in a row in the UFC. To sum up, leaving WWE is normally seen as a huge backward step in the career of a pro wrestler.

However, Cody has proven all the critics and doubters wrong. He has held titles all over the world, including the NWA heavyweight title that his father wore in decades past. His finances have never been better. It was because of his unexpected financial success that he and his fellow Elite decided to try their hand at promoting.

Wrestlers promoting their own shows is not necessarily new--Jerry Lawler made a career out of it before signing with WWE--but usually, those shows don't contain the kind of world caliber talent that Cody managed to gather. All eyes were upon Chicago, many of them expecting abysmal failure or programming snafus like those that plagued the ECW promotion.

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The show went off with very few problems and has garnered praise from every corner of the globe. But how does All In's success change the wrestling landscape? Here are ten ways.

#1.Cody has cemented his status as a top star.

Quite frankly, a lot of folks shook their head and smirked when Cody Rhodes claimed he wasn't being used to his full potential in WWE. After all, numerous other wrestlers had made that claim and then fizzled out into obscurity after they parted ways with the company.

Cody has proven them wrong from the day he started the new phase of his career. By working hard and relentlessly promoting his matches, he has taken the wrestling world by storm.

Winning the NWA heavyweight title from Nick Aldis does more than just put icing on the cake; it cements Cody's legacy as one of the all time greats, much like his father, and it has made the NWA title more relevant than it has been since the sale of JC productions to Ted Turner.

#2. Wrestlers with creative freedom have now been proven to have great matches.

Omega vs. Pentagon lived up to the hype, like most of All In's matches.

"For the fans, by the wrestlers" was the mantra of All In. While many promotions, particularly WWE, tend to get very involved in the pacing and execution of matches, All In's management (Cody and the Bucks) allowed the talent to have total creative freedom in their matches.

This led to some truly exciting moments, such as Adam Page's Rite of Passage from off of a ladder, and also meant that true artists like Pentagon and Kenny Omega were able to show the world who they are and what they are all about.

#3. Wrestlers will now have a better negotiating power.

Promotions like New Japan, WWE, and Impact wrestling should take notice of All In's fallout. If wrestlers have the option of working for themselves, it could seriously shake up the balance of power when it comes to contract negotiations.

Let's be clear; the big promotions like WWE aren't going out of business any time soon, but it does mean superstars will have a better position at the negotiating table when it's time to talk contracts.

#4. Wrestlers no longer factionalized between promotions.

Xavier Woods and Kenny Omega shake hands before their video game showdown.

At the All In show, there were numerous federations represented. Omega and Okada represented New Japan, Pentagon was there for Impact and Lucha Underground, Christopher Daniels put on a strong showing for Ring of Honor, and of course, Nick Aldis carried the NWA on his shoulders when he walked through the curtain into the arena.

This comes mere months after the Elite and the New Day--who work for competing promotions--had their video game showdown live on the internet. At one time wrestlers were discouraged from hanging out with talent from rival promotions--Jimmy Jacobs lost his job over it last year--but that landscape is now forever changed.

#5. Existing promotions can cash in on this movement if they're smart.

While initially reluctant, Ring of Honor decided to go 'all in' themselves and help Cody and the Bucks with promotion and distribution.

It is true that events like All In could hurt companies like the WWE, but only if they don't take advantage like ROH did. If there is money to be made, and all sides benefit, why not work with the talent to produce shows like All In?

#6. Solid, Wrestling-centric shows can work.

There has been an idea kicking around in pro wrestling for many years that even dedicated wrestling fans will get 'bored' if there is too much in-ring action. This is why there are so many skits, video packages, and interviews on RAW, for example, and that is also the model WCW followed for its Eric Bischoff years.

However, All In proved that notion false. The entire card was stacked with one great wrestling match after the next, and the fans left the arena thirsty for more. Wrestling seems to be taking center stage on sports entertainment, and All In is a major factor in that change.

#7. Wrestling fandom transcends individual promotions.

During the infamous Monday Night War, there were dedicated Raw and Nitro fans. They only watched one promotion, and refused to do anything but ridicule and scorn the rival show. However, most of the wrestling fans actually watched both programs through these ancient devices called 'VCRs'.

The fact is most wrestling fans aren't promotion exclusive. They will watch good wrestling no matter where it takes place, whether it's Wrestlemania in a huge arena or an independent promotion in a bingo hall. All In has showed that wrestling fans will follow their favorite athletes wherever they go, even if it's just for a one-off program.

#8. Chris Jericho is suddenly the most talked about man in wrestling today.

While Chris Jericho was definitely a legendary star, most believed that his career was on the wane, and scoffed at his wrestling cruise idea.

However, after All In, those same people are eating their words. With a bold sneak attack on Kenny Omega, a supposedly unavailable Chris Jericho managed to put his name in everyone's mouth. Suddenly his career seems like it's never been hotter, and all because of clever deception by both Jericho and Cody. Cody even hid Jericho in his office so the press and fans wouldn't guess he was present at the arena.

You haven't heard the last of Chris Jericho, not by a long shot.

#9. Championships are now more relevant.

Upon hearing that Nick Aldis would defend the NWA title against Cody at All In, most fans assumed Aldis would retain. After all, longtime fans can always spot a title change a mile away, and if they can't there's always the internet to spoil things.

By virtue of the title change at All In, suddenly the championship is more relevant than it has been in many years. The title change felt special and gave All In that big event feel that has been missing from many PPVs in recent years.

#10. Cody is now one of the most powerful men in wrestling.

While Cody's stock was already pretty high, after All In he's not just being viewed as a wrestler. He's being seen as a promoter, manager, and creative force to be reckoned with.

Cody could have gotten work just about anywhere--including a return to the WWE--based on his talent as a wrestler before, but now that he has proven his business and organizational savvy in a major way he has become that much more desirable. After all, if he pulled off All in with his own money and little backing, what could he accomplish with a multi-million dollar company at his disposal? How would he change wrestling for the better in such a circumstance?

These are the questions All In has left us with, and we look forward to learning the answers.

There you have it; Ten ways All In has changed the wrestling landscape. Questions or comments? Please leave them below the article and thanks for reading.