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AEW had to pull current TNT champion Cody Rhodes from the scheduled 'Battle of the Belts' card as he was not medically cleared to wrestle. He was slated to face Sammy Guevara in a rematch for the title after he defeated the Inner Circle member last year to become a three-time champion.
Instead, his older brother Dustin Rhodes took his place. The bout was then changed to where the winner would become the interim TNT champion. The two had a stellar match, with Sammy coming out on top.
It is unclear when Cody will return. Meanwhile, Guevara will next defend his interim title against Daniel Garcia at the next AEW Dynamite. But who should Rhodes face upon his return?
Here are 5 AEW stars we'd love to see challenge for the TNT championship.
#5. AEW TNT interim champion - Sammy Guevara
It was a surprise when Cody Rhodes cleanly beat Sammy Guevara to win the TNT championship. The young star was only a few months into his reign and his loss felt premature. It makes sense that Guevara will get a rematch soon.
Short title reigns don't usually happen in Tony Khan's promotion. So it might not be a wise move to hotshot the title too many times. Since Rhodes has won both of their past two matches, it looks like Guevara is due for a victory soon.
Look to AEW to circle back to this match as soon as Cody is cleared to wrestle again.
#4. AEW duo Ethan Page or Scorpion Sky
AEW had teased a potential rivalry between Cody Rhodes and Dan Lambert's representatives, the Men of the Year, in December. Lambert slammed Tony Khan for pushing Cody towards title contention while ignoring Scorpio Sky and Ethan Page.
Both wrestlers are highly underrated talents and have made the most out of the limited opportunities AEW has given them. Either would pose a believable threat to Rhodes' title and deliver a great match-up.
#3. One half of AEW tag team champions, Jungle Boy
Jungle Boy finally won gold when he won the tag team title alongside Luchasaurus on the debut episode of AEW Dynamite on TBS.
While he currently looks busy in the tag team division, it is only a matter of time before he breaks out as a singles star. As one of the 'four pillars of AEW', he should be treated such. This means he could benefit from a TNT championship run.
If Cody Rhodes wants to put over young talent, this move could benefit all parties.
#2. AEW rookie Hook
Taz's son has risen spectacularly in popularity among AEW fans despite being in only three matches so far. His charismatic, nonchalant attitude and surprising grappling skills make many believe he's a future megastar.
Recently, after AEW went off the air, Cody Rhodes jokingly asked Hook if he would like to challenge for the TNT Championship. It was said in jest, but the tease of a match between the two sounds compelling. Cody was credited with training Hook before his debut, so this could be a student vs. mentor match.
On Sportskeeda Wrestling's SmackTalk, WWE veteran Dutch Mantell shared his thoughts on a potential clash between the two:
"Now he’s [Hook] ready to go. You put him in there with a big name and he holds his own, that’s when he’s over. And if you push him, 10 weeks, 15 weeks, whatever it takes, as long as you put him in there on a pay-per-view with Cody, the people will be ready for that... Cody could put that together so well, it has Match of the Year written on it because of the investment of fans that want to see him win so bad."
While no one is immediately making Hook win titles, putting him in the spotlight will be a great test for the young rookie. Can Hook deliver on the big stage? It will go a long way in determining his potential as a future megastar for AEW.
#1. AEW star Adam Cole
Adam Cole could make a compelling challenger for the TNT championship. He is currently undefeated in singles competition, and has reunited with his Undisputed Era stablemates Kyle O'Reilly and Bobby Fish.
Cole could benefit from a run with the secondary belt to build up his legacy in AEW. He did the same thing in NXT, winning the North American Championship first, before going after the top guy.
Cole, who might currently be caught in the middle of a potential Elite and Undisputed Era tug of war, deserves a bigger spot on the roster. With his in-ring skills, charisma, and credibility with the audience, he can provide the biggest test of Cody's TNT title reign.
