'%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,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAUACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABhAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABQYQAAIBAwQDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAwAEBgUREyEHEiIBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAURAAIBBAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAAMEBRExgrH/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/ALuUCLHMYyHUJFa9fTJNMS3Vm4+NGuVUhGX6Vizblga3V14jw17mZnhnLGRixDqNyT3160pRuJO7Cl29ieYdnv6jMSSQhJJ3yon/2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Cody Rhodes opened up the latest RAW episode and said something during his promo that has left Vince Russo perplexed about The American Nightmare's WWE character.
Rhodes defeated Brock Lesnar in controversial fashion at Backlash 2023 and claimed The Beast Incarnate "was now in the rearview mirror" while addressing the WWE Universe on Monday Night RAW. Vince Russo highlighted that only heels deliver lines of such sort as they usually want to move on from a rival as quickly as possible.
Rhodes, however, is one of WWE's top babyfaces, and Russo believed the ex-AEW star had inadvertently gotten into the habit of cutting heel promos. The former WWE writer was confused whether Rhodes was deliberately setting the stage for a future heel turn or was unknowingly saying things that didn't suit his current heroic persona. On the latest episode of Legion of RAW, Russo said:
"Bro, Cody cuts heel promos. So he either knows what he's doing and he's setting himself to be a heel, or he has no clue what he is saying is a heelish thing. Here's my perfect case in point. He beat Brock Lesnar, and he is now claiming, in his own words, Brock Lesnar is in the rearview mirror now. Bro, that would be a heel saying that about a babyface, and then the babyface comes out and attacks him, and the feud continues." [18:26 - 19:00]
As seen on RAW, Brock Lesnar interrupted the World Heavyweight Championship Triple Threat match and attacked Cody Rhodes before himself taking the microphone to confirm their Night of Champions rematch.
Vince Russo felt Rhodes looked like an "idiot" following Lesnar's assault, as he'd previously claimed he was done battling the former WWE Champion. Russo stated WWE had mistakenly reversed the roles and even mentioned how it impacted Rhodes' long-term storyline with Roman Reigns:
"You've got the babyface saying the heel is in the rearview mirror, and then the heel makes you look like an idiot as the babyface because, obviously, he is not in the rearview mirror. It's obviously supposed to work the other way around, bro. I don't understand it. If Brock Lesnar was in his rearview mirror, then isn't he the babyface in Roman Reigns' rearview mirror? These words mean something." [19:00 - 21:10]
Vince Russo on WWE not understanding the importance of nuances in storytelling
Cody Rhodes' line about Lesnar being in the rearview mirror was the prime example of WWE seemingly not realizing how subtle things can affect the overall narrative.
Russo said Vince McMahon would stress about nuances when they worked together to create storylines during the Attitude Era. The former head writer highlighted the inconsistencies in Cody Rhodes' story and said it didn't make a good impression in the fans' minds.
He added:
"I can't tell you how important the nuances were to Vince McMahon when I was sitting in his freaking house. And nuances were everything, and we talked about them. Now, bro, when you look at this stuff collectively, it's like, it's patchy. Nobody knows what the other guy is saying, and then television viewers are walking away from this like, 'That's not supposed to go that way." [21:11 - 21:50]
Are you hyped for Rhodes vs. Lesnar II? Sound off in the comments section below.
Please credit Sportskeeda Wrestling and embed the YouTube video if you use quotes from this article.
