AEW Double or Nothing: Full Confirmed Match Card and Predictions

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Cody vs Dustin Rhodes

After weeks of speculation from fans, Cody’s opponent for AEW Double or Nothing has finally been revealed. Going back to his roots, Cody will be up against his very own brother Dustin Rhodes. In the latest episode of AEW “The Road to Double or Nothing,” we heard from Dustin Rhodes himself about this upcoming contest. He dubbed it “one last ride,” but left us on a cliffhanger at the end with a simple “or is it?”

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The history between these two men writes itself. The two sons of wrestling legend, WWE Hall of Famer, and 3-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion Dusty Rhodes, Cody and Dustin have carved very different paths in the world of professional wrestling. Their history, and certainly their relationship as brothers, was undoubtedly shaped by the fact that they were born 16 years apart.

Not only were Cody and Dustin born into entirely different worlds, but also to entirely different fathers. Sure, they’re both the sons of Dusty Rhodes, but Dusty’s career in 1969 was a far cry from what his career would be in 1985. In the late ’60s and early ’70s, Dusty Rhodes was still making his mark on professional wrestling. He wasn’t a mainstay of NWA territories until 1974, and didn’t win his first NWA World Heavyweight Championship until 1979. It’s not difficult to imagine how this stage at his career made Dusty less than a perfect and present father.

On the other end of the spectrum, Cody Rhodes was born in 1985 when Rhodes was already a 2-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion and had taken over duties booking Jim Crockett Promotions, which would eventually become WCW. Cody got to be there for a father who had already proved himself in the industry, but was riding high on his laurels. Dusty’s two year run in WWF started when Cody was just four years old.

When Dusty returned to WCW in 1991, he found himself back in a booking role with a growing and eventually national company. Dusty was surely busy, but he didn’t have the same grind needed to establish himself, which let him be a better father to Cody than he’d had the chance to be for Dustin. To this day, it’s clearly something Dustin Rhodes is abundantly aware of, claiming Cody was born “with a silver spoon in his mouth.”

When Cody was a toddler, Dustin Rhodes was already cutting his teeth in the industry. From Florida to Japan to WCW, Dustin was an 8-year-veteran by the time he came to WWF and debuted the Goldust personality. Cody Rhodes made his in-ring debut in 2006, and was on Monday Night Raw only one year later. Dustin’s career was a hard-fought grind, and Cody seemed poised time and time again to take advantage of his heritage for quicker success.

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The two brothers even found their way to one another years later, teaming together for an eventual two reigns as WWE Tag Team Champions. Now, things have changed once again. Cody is the Executive Vice President of AEW, poised to lead what could be one of the most highly anticipated company launches the industry has seen.

Dustin is 50 years old, saying goodbye to a character that defined his career, and looking for “one last ride,” or something more, at the expense of his little brother. These two have everything to prove, both to us and to each other, and that will make this a truly unforgettable match. Either man could walk out the victor, but I think experience will take an edge over the cocky little brother on this night.

Prediction: Dustin Rhodes

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