What if Cody Rhodes never left WWE?

#3 Kenny Omega in WWE

Without AEW in the mix, Kenny Omega may well be WWE bound.

Wrestling critics tend to agree that Kenny Omega is the best active talent today to have never worked on the WWE main roster. Yes, he was in WWE’s developmental system and has indicated he was unhappy with his opportunities there, which is certainly in a factor in him not signing with the company since. However, all indications are that WWE made every effort to sign Omega in recent months, including a big money offer.

In the absence of All Elite Wrestling, Omega may well have stayed in Japan. However, for the purposes of money and finally working on the most watched stage in wrestling, it’s hard to imagine Omega would have given WWE a shot were there not a legitimately fresh alternative on the table.

AEW represented the opportunity to build something new, and for Omega to do so with people that he was comfortable with, given his work with Cody Rhodes and The Young Bucks in New Japan and Ring of Honor.

If Rhodes had never left WWE, he never would have started AEW, and the odds are that would have meant Omega on his way into WWE right about now.