Cody Rhodes Is Right, It’s Time For This Shocking Shift To His Character

After the failure of making Roman Reigns a babyface during his awful “Big Dog” era, WWE had the problem of not having a true face of the company. With John Cena mostly gone, the company didn’t have that top guy. Sure, Reigns eventually became that, but he was a heel. WWE was in desperate need of a number one babyface. They found him in Cody Rhodes. The WWE audience welcomed the American Nightmare back with open arms at WrestleMania 38, and he went on a two-year journey to finish his story and become WWE Champion. Despite the fact that he was a traditional babyface who smiled and wore red, white, and blue, fans in every demographic loved him. However, lately, Rhodes’ reaction from the audience has started to lessen, and even he is seeing that the writing is on the wall. It’s almost time for Cody Rhodes to turn heel and become a true nightmare.

Cody Rhodes Knows A Heel Turn Is Coming Soon

A Huge Babyface Run Can Only Last For A Few Years

• He would like to be a babyface for the rest of his career.
• Eventually, fans want someone new to cheer for.
• Cody Rhodes was hated by AEW fans when he was a baybface there.

In a telling interview with Kay Adams, Cody Rhodes made some big hints at his future. When the interviewer asked him about a possible character change, the American Nightmare said:

“I do think we’re probably at the tail end of it, though, because there’s only so much someone can like you. I would love to do it till the end of my career, but there’s only so much. It’s like, ‘All right, we do as well. We cheer for them.’ At a certain point they want to see somebody else. I get that, and that’s where you have to change as a character… I think you have a good, solid year, maybe even three years. Because I again, I am not changing until I’m changed. If that makes any sense…

“If The Rock had it his way, I would have been changed already. So I think he sees something that maybe I don’t see, and that’s a very smart individual. So maybe I follow his lead. Maybe not.” (h/t WrestlingNews.co)

Cody definitely has a point about the lifespan of a babyface. Hulk Hogan lasted as a top babyface for over a decade, but by the mid-90s, fans were sick of his gimmick, forcing the biggest heel turn in history. More than once, Seth Rollins has been the face of WWE, but when fans got bored, he turned heel, which he is naturally great at. And although John Cena just turned heel this year, fans got sick of his babyface gimmick two decades ago and only finally accepted it when it was time to say goodbye. Heck, it even happened to Cody in AEW, where fans absolutely despised him as what they saw as a toothless good guy. Cody Rhodes has been the face of WWE for over two years now. How much longer can it last?

Cody Rhodes Starpower Is Starting To Diminish Ever So Slightly

WWE Has Made Some Horrible Characters With Rhodes

• The Rock wanted Cody to turn heel at Elimination Chamber.
• Jey Uso gets louder reactions from fans than Cody Rhodes now.
• Rhodes was hurt by decisions his character has made, especially at WrestleMania 41.

Reportedly, The Rock wanted Cody Rhodes and not John Cena to turn bad at Elimination Chamber. Thankfully, Cody said no, because that would have been a horrible decision that made no sense. It didn’t even make sense when Rhodes considered the Final Boss’ offer. Still, although Cody is not getting booed, you can see that he is not quite as popular as he once was. Ever since he returned from his hiatus after WrestleMania, those cheers are not quite as thunderous. When he took on Jey Uso on Raw, it was actually Jey who got the bigger reaction.

Much of this is WWE’s fault because of how they have booked Cody Rhodes. His title reign was mostly a dull one, and more than once he has been booked to look stupid, whether it was him considering The Rock’s request, or how easily he let John Cena and Travis Scott outsmart him. On top of that, it feels like we’re set up for a Rhodes vs. Cena rematch at SummerSlam where Cody gets his title back. Cody definitely deserves it, but it’s becoming quite predictable.

Cody Rhodes Has Been A Successful Heel Before

WWE Can’t Make The Same Mistake They Did With John Cena

• “Dashing” Cody Rhodes was a great heel character.
• WWE needs to have a new face lined up first before Cody turns heel.
• A heel turn needs to make sense, or it will feel lackluster like John Cena’s new character has.

Cody Rhodes could easily be a heel. He’s been one before, not only right after leaving WWE, but early during his first WWE run. When he had dark hair and went by “Dashing” Cody Rhodes, he was so easy to hate with his cocky attitude. At the time, it felt like he was certain to become a world champion in the immediate future, and although that didn’t happen, he excelled at being the bad guy.

Cody Rhodes can be a heel again, but WWE needs to be prepared. For one, they need to have a top new babyface ready to go to oppose him. Someone like CM Punk would be great for that, but he’s also in his late 40s. WWE needs a younger man to become the face of the company. Jey Uso is a possibility, but his World Heavyweight Championship run showed that he might not quite be ready.

There is also the example of John Cena. Fans loved it when he turned heel, but until his SmackDown pipebomb promo, his run as a bad guy has been lackluster and has often not made sense. If Cody Rhodes turns heel, there must be a plan. It simply can’t be done for the sake of the shock, and there has to be more of a reason behind it than hating the fans. Cody Rhodes has to earn that heel turn. There is no doubt that he can make it work, but WWE has to book him better than they have as the top babyface.