Ever since last Friday, all eyes have been on Cody Rhodes and the offer to sell his soul to the Rock. But…what if our eyes are gazing in the wrong direction? On SmackDown this week, the Miz met up with Rhodes to tell him to take the offer and before he walked away, he said if Rhodes didn’t, maybe someone else would. That didn’t feel like a throwaway line. It felt like it was hinting at a potential huge swerve in this story. The most obvious direction this story goes in as Rhodes stays babyface, turns down the Rock’s offer, and then the Rock seeks to make Rhodes’ life a living hell on the Road to WrestleMania. It seems unlikely Rhodes would turn heel and accept the offer, but that could happen too and then the two of them could run things going forward. But… Miz’ line does beg the question. What if we’ve got it all wrong and it’s not actually Rhodes’ soul the Final Boss is after?
The Rock Says…
Rock ‘N’ Rhodes Connection or Is It?
In order to sell your soul, you must first put a price on it, which means determining it’s worth. As the great Ted DiBiase once said, “everybody’s got a price.” If you were to put a price on your soul, what would it be worth to you? The answer is going to be different depending on who you ask. Let’s start with Cody Rhodes.
It’s been no secret the Rock is courting Rhodes big-time. It started a week ago with Rock praising the current champion and really kicked into high gear on Friday. The Rock lavished Rhodes with gifts and amenities including a fully stocked locker room and a brand new truck. The Rock appeared by video to promise Rhodes he could make all his dreams come true, even dreams he never dared to dream before. He even showed Rhodes something special, a weight belt he had designed with the words “Cody’s Soul” on it and the date June 11, 2015, the day Dusty Rhodes died. Rock said that day broke his heart because Dusty was one of his heroes. He implored Cody not to break his heart on Saturday.
Now, invoking the man’s dead father and his young daughter by name, wouldn’t seem like a traditional way to curry favor. So it makes you wonder, what if that’s not what the Rock was doing? What if it’s not been Rock’s intent at all to take Rhodes’ soul? Maybe all these promises and showing him what he could have aren’t real. The Rock could just be taunting Rhodes by showing him a life he’ll never have. Think about it. It didn’t make a whole lot of sense for the Rock to shake Rhodes’ hand after WrestleMania 40, but he did. And at that time it seemed like all roads were leading toward Rock vs Rhodes at WrestleMania 41. But then Rock appeared on SmackDown with a total about face, talking about how much he loved Rhodes and how they were brothers now. It all seemed too good to be true. And maybe it is. Maybe the Rock is pulling the wool over Rhodes’ eyes. Maybe Rhodes will go to accept the offer on Saturday before Rock says, “it doesn’t matter…” Rock could then tell Rhodes this was all a ruse by then perhaps revealing the true person who sold their soul to him.
The CM stands for Corporate Machine Punk
The Miz wasn’t the only one who ran into Rhodes backstage. While most told Rhodes they weren’t going to tell him what to do, there was one who made it clear in no uncertain terms that Rhodes should say no: CM Punk. The Best in the World made his feelings perfectly clear saying he has no love for “Dwayne,” before telling Rhodes he needed to take the Rock’s offer, shine it up real good, turn it sideways and “shove it up his part-time Hollywood candy ass.” Throwing the Rock’s own catchphrase into play was a seemingly innocuous choice and it definitely got a smile out of Rhodes. But what if Punk is playing a little game of his own?
Punk told Rhodes if he had gotten an offer like the Rock’s when he was younger, he would have taken it in a heartbeat. He was glad he didn’t get the offer back then though because he was “wise enough now to be happy that offer never came” to him. And yet, Punk still didn’t say he wouldn’t take it or that he already did. It wasn’t out of character for Punk to tell Rhodes he shouldn’t take the offer. The iteration of CM Punk who returned to WWE has been the best version of himself. He’s said and done all the right things. And yet…what does he have to show for it? Injuries cost him one WrestleMania opportunity and losing the Royal Rumble cost him another. He’s not getting any younger and he’s got one last shot to achieve everything he’s ever wanted in 2025. Fall short, and he’s got to wait a whole additional year and who knows what things will look like by then. So maybe, just maybe, despite his hatred for the man, Punk decided to sell his soul to the proverbial devil. In a way, it would be prophetic if he did. Let’s go back for a moment to a day that changed wrestling forever, June 27, 2011.
“And yet no matter how many times I prove it, I’m not on your lovely little collector cups. I’m not on the cover of the program. I’m barely promoted. I don’t get to be in movies. I’m certainly not on any crappy show on the USA Network. I’m not on the poster of WrestleMania. I’m not on the signature that’s produced at the start of the show. I’m not on Conan O’Brian. I’m not on Jimmy Fallon. But the fact of the matter is, I should be.”
Perhaps the Rock shouldn’t be carrying around a weight belt with the date June 11, 2015 but rather June 27, 2011, the date of Punk’s industry-shattering pipebomb.
At the time, Punk was actually complaining about part-timers like the Rock, who he mentioned by name, coming in and taking his spot. In fact, Punk said the Rock being in the main event of WrestleMania that year, “makes me sick.” But now, its that same man who could give Punk his face on collector cups, covers of programs, movie roles, and crappy shows on the USA Network. Granted, the Punk of 2025 has definitely already gotten most of those things compared to the one of 2011, but maybe he wants more? Maybe he wants something only the Rock can give him. Punk wants to main event WrestleMania by any means necessary and regain the world title. It’s the one feather in his cap that he doesn’t have. And while it seems improbable the Rock could impact the result of the Elimination Chamber due to the chamber’s confined setting, he could give Punk his best shot by having him enter last or perhaps bringing in a referee who might count a little slow. And from there, Rock could do everything in his power to help Punk defeat Rhodes at WrestleMania.
Keep in mind, Punk has a favor owed him from Paul Heyman. It’s possible he’ll lose the chamber match and then rely on that favor to get him what he wants. Or it’s possible he’s already called it in. Heyman does have an avenue to the Final Boss after all…
From Chosen One to People’s Champ
Let’s say though that a heel turn for Punk isn’t in the cards, as fantastic as it would be. There is one wrestler, already a heel, who also shared his thoughts on what Rhodes should do with Rock’s offer. Backstage, Rhodes encountered Drew McIntyre who questioned what the Rock was going to do after Rhodes accepted his offer only for Rock to find out Rhodes already sold his soul years ago. McIntyre remarked on how both he and Rhodes went from being low on the card to the positions they are in now. And by saying Rhodes sold his soul years ago, McIntyre was implying that Rhodes took the easy way to get to the top while McIntyre himself had to fight for everything he’s accomplished.
But what if McIntyre is done fighting and doing things the hard way? In a lot of ways, 2025 Drew McIntyre is 2011 CM Punk and certainly feels like he’s owed the same. The cups, the programs, the appearances on Fallon.
McIntyre was once anointed as the Chosen One and he’s had a chip on his shoulder ever since. But despite it, he’s never quite reached the level of stardom that was expected of him. And McIntyre, he doesn’t get enough credit for being the pandemic champion, defending his title without the benefit of crowds. He was a workhorse for WWE and his title reign doesn’t get the respect it deserves. Now, granted, in the ensuing years McIntyre has come up short more than he’d like to admit and he just wants another shot. And who better to give him that shot than someone who’s already asked a favor of in the Rock?
According to Chris Featherstone, McIntyre is listed on internal sheets as the winner of the men’s chamber match. He has the second best odds with sportsbooks and interestingly enough, with an influx of money recently coming in picking him to win, the books have actually shut down betting on that match. Sportsbooks don’t determine wrestling outcomes, however, they often provide some insight into what might happen. Prior to that news, McIntyre wasn’t really seen as a contender. This was kind of a two horse race between John Cena and Punk, as the two most likely to win. As McIntyre rose in the odds however, people started to wonder if a huge swerve was on its way.
McIntyre has won two of the three chambers he’s been in, including the most recent in 2024. So in that regard, it’s not that crazy to think he could win this one. But what if he had some help? It seems like between McIntyre and Punk, McIntyre would be someone the Rock would view as much easier to work with, easier to mold. McIntyre still has a long career ahead of him and with the Final Boss by his side, there’s very little he can’t achieve. Whether Rhodes says no to Rock’s offer or he was never the target to begin with, McIntyre would make for a fine contingency plan as someone Rock could align with and help regain the world title McIntyre is so desperate to take back.
Meet the New Mega Powers of WWE
Between McIntyre, Punk, and Rhodes, the Rock has three fine options for his soul hunt. But there is one last option that it seems impossible to consider. So we’re going to consider it. What if the Rock has his eyes on the biggest prize? What if he wants the soul of not just any champion, but a world champion in the midst of a record-breaking 17th world championship run?
When John Cena declared that he was entering himself into the Elimination Chamber because him winning a 17th world championship was “best for business,” it all felt very un-Cenalike. Here was a man who his entire career was built on “hustle, loyalty, respect” saying he didn’t need to do those things. He felt in his final run, he’d earned the right to call his own shot and call it he did. The words came out of Cena’s mouth but they never felt like Cena’s words. What if they weren’t?
There’s not much the Rock can offer Cena as far as Hollywood goes. Cena already has built a solid movie and television career appearing in top films, showing up on late night television, getting his own Peacemaker show, and hosting reality competition series. Cena has done it all and he’s a pretty popular guy within the Hollywood realm. Not Rock popular, but he does alright for himself. It doesn’t seem like Cena needs any glad handing from the Rock in that regard. And in the wrestling realm, he doesn’t really need it either. Though, the Rock does have immeasurable power right now. He’s on the board and is incredibly close with TKO’s head honcho. The Rock gets to call the shots and he could make it harder for Cena to achieve his 17th championship goal. He could also make it easier.
It wouldn’t feel out of place for Cena to accept Rock’s offer if the Rock threatened to put obstacles in his way if he didn’t. But even if the Rock didn’t threaten to thwart Cena’s title pursuit and simply offered to help him achieve it, it’s not impossible to believe a Cena uttering the words “best for business,” would take him up on that.
The one thing Cena doesn’t have that the Rock could potentially help him get is a 17th world championship. For years, it seemed Cena didn’t care all that much about breaking Ric Flair’s record, but now, he’s out here saying him winning a 17th championship is “best for business.” Those were the words the Authority used to justify their reprehensible actions in the mid 2010s. Cena has never been a true heel in WWE but spouting corporate language, it kinda tows the line. Would it be all that crazy to imagine, in his final run, that Cena would mold into the Corporate Champion he’s kinda always been. Cena fell short at winning the Royal Rumble and in his mind, he has to win the chamber to get that title chance at WrestleMania. And maybe falling short at the rumble got Cena thinking that he could use a little help. He entered himself into the chamber without qualifying using his own stroke…or was it his stroke and not that of a certain Final Boss? Maybe Cena approached his old rival and they struck a little deal. Could you imagine, on Cena’s way out, even if only for a little while, him being the champion with the Rock by his side? It’s almost impossible to see it, but WWE in 2025 has already given us a lot of things once seemed to be impossible.
Elimination Chamber will be Telling
When word leaked that the Rock wouldn’t be working WrestleMania this year, he wasn’t too happy about the news getting out. He made a surprise visit to SmackDown not too long after and it got people wondering if things have changed and he will be available. But what if we’re looking at this the wrong way and it’s not that the Rock will have a match at WrestleMania, but simply be there to support his Corporate Champion or challenger, whoever that might be.
Should Rhodes turn down the offer as he likely will unless he’s turning heel, a WrestleMania main event between the Corporate Champion and the WWE Champion, the Fans’ Champion, the let’s just say, People’s Champion, would be too much to pass up.
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