There was a near-universal shock to Cody Rhodes’ loss at WrestleMania 39 that was quickly replaced by a belief that next year, he would finish the story. With the monumental events of the past month, it is time to consider an unthinkable thought: what if Cody Rhodes loses at WrestleMania 40?
The Rock is back, and his story with Roman Reigns has become front and center of SmackDown each Friday. Cody has remained involved to some extent. It is hard to deny, though, that Rock vs. Roman has many people interested.
There are different perspectives on whether that feud needs a title, but it poses a compelling option. If Cody isn’t going to be the man to beat Roman Reigns just yet, what does his journey look like in the next few months?
Level with Fans When Cody Rhodes Loses at WrestleMania 40
If WWE believes they can salvage Rhodes’ appeal as a main-event star after a loss, it will likely be through his connection on the microphone. Cody Rhodes is telling the story of dominating WWE for the better part of two years.
He has been running the angle since his first Raw appearance. If anyone can tell us what to expect in the next chapter, it will be him. It will be Cody’s task to mimic how defeated the Rock’s “Cody crybabies” will feel. Once he does, he gets fans to understand he feels their pain. WWE will have to give Cody the feud they seem to have wanted all along.
Why, @WWERollins, WHY?#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/g1RuagSvj1
— WWE (@WWE) May 10, 2022
Seth Rollins may betray Cody. It is equally possible Seth lost his title to Drew McIntyre or Damian Priest at WrestleMania and wants to get it back. In any case, Seth Rollins vs. Cody Rhodes will be his first feud after Cody Rhodes loses at WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia.
Rollins has been Cody’s highest-profile rival apart from The Bloodline and has a ton of reason for onscreen heat with Cody, regardless of this recent truce. Rollins and Rhodes can also put on a masterclass in the ring.
An intense string of matches leading into the summer will give the predominantly international crowd a chance to see two top stars and expert performers headline in their city while rebuilding Rhodes’ momentum.
A Rocky Road to Redemption for Cody Rhodes
The WWE has teased a match, and recently, that has been as good as an announcement. The Rock and Cody Rhodes will square off one on one in the future.
It may be at WrestleMania 40, but it probably won’t. If it doesn’t, then Rock has got a fight with Rhodes this summer. The fans would likely be calling for this more after an electrifying WrestleMania Kickoff if not for the finish of the story narrative. With the title plans on hold for a while and a bloodline that includes Rock and Roman, that match is clear to happen.
The Rock vs. Roman Reigns has been deemed this generation’s Rock vs. Hulk Hogan. In reality, Rock and Cody fit that bill closer. Reigns is not the future of WWE; he is the present. His time at the top started in earnest in 2015.
He won’t leave the company altogether, but he certainly seems like he’s ready to cash in on his hard work and get a more leisurely schedule. His feud with Rock is about family, not the WWE. Cody vs. The Rock would be the leading man for the next five or so years, taking on the last megastar of a bygone generation.
The Never-Ending Story of Cody Rhodes Family
Cody may not ever beat Roman Reigns for the title. Maybe Jey Uso or The Rock are taking the title from Roman instead. A superstar just starting might rocket to the top of the Smackdown roster and become as undeniable as Cody felt before WrestleMania 39. What remains the same., though, is that Cody has a story to finish for his father.
He has to win the WWE title. The where is immaterial, and if Rhodes can’t do it at the logical conclusion point of WrestleMania, then neither does the why. All that matters is he holds the title high to honor his father, the late great Dusty Rhodes.
A win at Survivor Series or Madison Square Garden, both closely related to his father’s big title moment, could make sense. Or WWE could make a show like Hell in a Cell iconic for Cody’s career, giving him a second iconic moment in the steel structure. So what if Cody Rhodes loses at WrestleMania 40? The story can’t end; maybe it never will.
The refrain has been the company’s selling point for so long that the chase might be all that the creative team is willing to book. It is unlikely that Cody won’t eventually win the world title. Equally improbable is the idea that he would lose focus on that goal for more than a few months at a time. For as long as the story remains open, Cody is going to keep telling it to all of his fans.
So, What if Cody Rhodes Loses at WrestleMania 40?
Nobody can really be sure how fans would react to another loss. The What if Cody Rhodes loses at WrestleMania 40 question could be answered as a shrug or the critical point of Rhodes’s downfall.
Even if WWE hands its supposed future standard-bearer another loss, they won’t let him go down without a fight. He has led the company even without the title. The WWE 2k24 games are built around Cody. Raw is a must-watch when he gets on the microphone.
He will almost certainly still feature heavily on one of the two brands. Also, Cody Rhodes will still feud with The Bloodline. He will probably run back his feud with Seth Rollins in the build-up to another eventual title match.
Finally, after an indeterminant amount of time, Cody will get the title he has craved. The follow-up question, though, is the one that has yet to be answered. When Cody finally finishes his story, will anyone really care?
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