'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Cody Rhodes and The Rock have been the subject of discussion among wrestling fans and pundits alike. The seeds for the rivalry were sown following the events on SmackDown earlier this month when The Great One tried to sabotage Cody's main event at The Show of Shows and the subsequent outrage from fans, which The Rock addressed as ''Cody Crybabies'' during WrestleMania 40 Kickoff.
The rivalry has intensified ever since The Rock slapped Cody during the kick-off event. In line with this, The American Nightmare was one of the guests during The Grayson Waller Effect at the recently concluded Elimination Chamber. Rhodes used the platform to challenge The People's Champ to a match “any time, any place.”
Now that Cody has revealed his desire, here are five reasons why a match between The American Nightmare and The People’s Champion needs to happen:
#5. Catching the media’s attention
Cody Rhodes vs. The Rock at The Show of Shows is expected to pique the interest of not just fans but also the media.
The Rock’s participation in any project is expected to gain attention from media. To that end, booking him and Rhodes in a match at the biggest wrestling event of the year makes sense business-wise.
#4. Both Superstars have global recognition
Cody Rhodes and The Rock are just two of the most popular figures in sports entertainment as of late and are known all across the globe. While it is a fact that the rematch between Rhodes and Roman Reigns will be the biggest selling point of WrestleMania 40, Titanland is also eager to witness The Brahma Bull lock horns with The American Nightmare.
Additionally, since The Rock is well-known in both sports entertainment and Hollywood, this could help WWE expand its reach globally.
#3. Ratings booster
Since Triple H took over the role of WWE’s chief content officer, the Stamford-based promotion has been rolling out great storylines, not to mention good TV ratings. In line with this, the recent appearances of The Rock at WWE shows have resulted in the company getting huge viewership.
Now that Cody Rhodes called him out during the recently concluded Elimination Chamber, a fight between the two stars will not just temporarily increase TV ratings; it will likely pique the interest of lapsed fans back at WWE.
#2. WWE can create a new angle to The Bloodline – Cody Rhodes storyline
The Rock and Cody Rhodes have exhibited how exceptionally talented they are inside the Square Circle. In line with this, both superstars can hype up the crowd with their awesome mic skills. And their rivalry has blown off the charts in the past month.
Earlier this month, The Great One slapped Rhodes right in the face during the WrestleMania 40 kickoff presser. This is after the latter mentioned the ancestors of Roman Reigns and The Rock during the event. This didn’t sit well with the multi-time WWE Champion, and he proceeded to slap the 2024 Royal Rumble winner. Reigning WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth “Freakin’” Rollins came to The American Nightmare’s aid and confronted both The Bloodline’s Tribal Chief and his Superstar cousin.
Now that Rollins has gotten himself involved, it sure is interesting to see how things will play out in the coming weeks, especially now that he has declared allegiance to Rhodes. However, some fans believe that The Visionary may have some hidden agenda and could be waiting for the perfect opportunity to put it into play.
There are a plethora of ways to play out the storyline. It will be exciting to see what WWE Creative has in store for fans.
#1. The Rock and Cody Rhodes are Generational Superstars
Both The Rock and Cody Rhodes are generational superstars. The Great One is a third-generation wrestler who debuted in WWE (WWF at the time of his debut) in 1996. During his debut match, the megastar carried the moniker Rocky Maivia in honor of his legendary dad, Rocky Johnson, and grandfather, Peter Maivia. During the next six years, Rocky transformed into The Rock to become an icon of the business.
Rhodes also hails from a family with rich wrestling royalty. He is the son of WWE Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes and the younger brother of the legendary Dustin Rhodes (Goldust in WWE).
Additionally, wrestling fans—especially the ones who grew up watching The Attitude Era—were ecstatic when The Rock returned to WWE. This is the reason why he appeals to the older demographic. Cody Rhodes, on the other hand, is the heartbeat of younger fans.
The match, should The People's Champ accept Rhodes’ challenge, is expected to attract both age demographics as they will witness a historic fight about to unfold.
Do you want Cody Rhodes vs. The Rock at WrestleMania 40? Share your views in the comments section below.
