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Cody Rhodes is one of the founding members of All Elite Wrestling. After he left WWE in 2016, he became one of the hottest superstars in the independent wrestling scene. A couple of years later, Rhodes would become among the first wrestlers signed to an AEW contract.
Currently, Cody Rhodes serves as both an on-screen talent as well as the Executive Vice President of Tony Khan's promotion. According to various sources, Rhodes earns $3 million a year, making him among the highest-paid talent in the company.
Kenny Omega and Chris Jericho also reportedly earn the same figure - $3 million a year. However, Cody Rhodes joked at first that the AEW contract tier system had Tier-0, Tier-1, Tier-2, Tier-3, Tier-4, and Tier-Jericho - implying that the inaugural AEW World Heavyweight Champion was the company's biggest investment.
It's not surprising to see The American Nightmare on top of the list. Not only is he the Executive Vice President of AEW, but he also happens to be one of the most popular superstars in the company. Despite all the top-tier talent constantly coming into AEW, Rhodes has managed to stay fresh and relevant.
When asked in 2019 about the highest-paid wrestler in All Elite Wrestling, he said it was Chris Jericho, at first:
“I would say that initially with Chris Jericho and the amount of money that he has been paid by AEW, and having the largest contract on the roster – but, in the very beginning, there were three people that said, ‘I want to be the quarterback.’ Kenny Omega was one, I was one, and Chris Jericho was one. That sounds like it’s a recipe for disaster perhaps in other worlds, but in the wrestling world, it’s a recipe for success," said Cody Rhodes. (H/T WWFOldSchool)
Cody Rhodes' future in AEW
Cody Rhodes is 36 years old, which is still somewhat young in wrestling years. It won't be surprising to see him have a consistent, full-time in-ring career for a few more years before winding down his appearances.
By this point, a full-time transition into a backstage role seems likely for Rhodes, unless he also decides to pursue acting himself. Be that as it may, he has made a lot of money in the last five years and will have a lot of leverage in the future. His legacy in professional wrestling will be remembered with more fondness once he retires.
