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The Season Premiere of WWE RAW was a great night for some superstars but a relatively tough one for others. For example, Gunther retained his Intercontinental Championship in a hard-fought bout, but Bronson Reed was, unfortunately, the loser in that match.
The Judgment Day had a great night overall. While Rhea Ripley dealt with the chaos of the Women's division, her faction's boys Finn Balor and Damian Priest recaptured the coveted Unified RAW and SmackDown Tag Team Titles. Unfortunately, that means their opponents had a very bad night.
Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso were the two superstars who lost their recently won belts. The American Nightmare, in particular, seemed on top of the world after finally winning a title after returning in 2022, but that high of success is gone. Instead, he is now feeling the bitter lows of defeat.
What could be next for Cody now that he lost the prized tag team belts? This article will look at a handful of things that The American Nightmare may do moving forward after his upsetting defeat on Monday Night RAW.
Below are four possible directions for Cody Rhodes following his major loss on WWE RAW.
#4. He might try to recapture the Tag Team Titles with Jey Uso
The most obvious direction for Cody Rhodes is for him and Jey Uso to continue moving forward as a strong and determined unit. They have obvious chemistry in and out of the ring, and it would seem almost foolish for WWE to leave it on the table.
Additionally, there is the matter of a rematch. While WWE allegedly dropped the automatic rematch clause ruling they had for so long, the promotion now seemingly picks and chooses when to use it. If the creative team wanted to, they could enact the rule.
This would allow for The Judgment Day, Cody Rhodes, and Jey Uso to have at least one more major bout. Even if Cody and Jey were to lose again, it would at least extend the story for a little bit longer and provide another stellar tag team match.
#3. Cody Rhodes could move to WWE SmackDown to finish his story
Ever since Cody Rhodes returned to WWE in 2022, he has had one major goal, and that is to finish the story. For those unaware, the story is about his father, the legendary Dusty Rhodes, almost winning the world title in Madison Square Garden before the decision was reversed.
For The American Nightmare, it is his goal to win the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship for his father, his mother, his brother, and for himself. He needs to finish the story that his legendary father started so many decades ago.
He cannot possibly finish the story properly on Monday Night RAW. As a result, he may find a way to get himself traded to Friday Night SmackDown. This would allow for him to pursue Roman Reigns and the biggest prize in the industry.
#2. He could challenge Seth Rollins
The previous entry in this article is the perfect world scenario for Cody Rhodes. With that being said, he may not be able to move to Friday Night SmackDown. The WWE brass may not approve of it, and thus, for now, he is unable to finish the story.
However, that does not mean that he cannot pursue other titles. The American Nightmare just proved that he can still win gold in the meantime ahead of his ultimate goal. In theory, that means he could and should chase after the biggest prize on the red brand, which is the World Heavyweight Championship.
Cody could potentially challenge Seth Rollins for the coveted title. This could mean his first-ever world championship. Given his history with Seth and how often he defeated the Visionary in the past, the odds are heavily in his favor.
#1. Rhodes could become the permanent NXT General Manager
WWE NXT last week was a supersized edition featuring some of the biggest names in WWE, both past and present. The Undertaker, John Cena, Asuka, LA Knight, Cody Rhodes, and The Judgment Day were some of the stars who appeared on the show.
Rhodes had a special role on the show, as he was the guest NXT General Manager. This allowed him to make special rulings and matches. Wielding power such as that can become a bit addicting to some, and it could lead to Cody wanting to experience it even more.
There is a chance that The American Nightmare will talk to Shawn Michaels about becoming the WWE NXT General Manager full-time. He could either retire from in-ring competition or attempt to juggle both roles moving forward. Could he mold the minds and careers of the future stars of the industry? Only time will tell.
What do you think Cody Rhodes is planning to do next with his WWE career? Sound off in the comments section below!
