3 Ways Triple H Can Ensure WWE Fans Won't Turn on Cody Rhodes

Pitting John Cena against Cody Rhodes was always going to be a risk, especially with Cena in his retirement year. And especially with Cena gunning for World Championship No. 17. On WWE Unreal, we learned that as time passed and we inched closer towards this year's WrestleMania, the creative team knew something had to be done. That something was John Cena's heel turn, one of the greatest moments in wrestling history, but clearly with one of the weirdest long-term directions and follow-ups to a moment of such magnitude.

It's almost poetic how polarizing Cena's heel run has been, but that run is now in the past, and hindsight is always 20/20. At least, we will never wonder "what could have been..." The retirement tour, as important as it may be, though, is still just four more months. The future is the new WWE Champion, Cody Rhodes, and the problem is this: as the undisputed top babyface in the industry and the face of WWE, his entire feud with Cena has been a risk and arguably has not paid off.

Cody being booed at WrestleMania was something they had to see coming, and they actually did. But the match itself was average and didn't even compare to the last few Mania main events that preceded it. The finish was one of the worst finishes to any wrestling match ever. SummerSlam was redemption for Rhodes and Cena; a babyface vs. babyface match that wasn't just a Street Fight, but an absolute war and one of the greatest matches of Cena's career. Cody was still booed, but it wasn't as much of a problem considering Cena was also a babyface, and the match itself was outstanding.

The problem, though, is that John Cena did pass the torch to Cody Rhodes at SummerSlam, and part of that will always mean that, despite all the goodwill and respect he has, a certain section of fans will now constantly boo Rhodes or clamor for a heel turn. In essence, Rhodes is now over his honeymoon period as WWE's top babyface, and his feud with John Cena has exacerbated and accelerated the inevitable: Cody Rhodes becoming one of the most polarizing men in wrestling.

And if there are indeed no plans to turn him heel anytime soon, then as much as WWE and Cody Rhodes are willing to dip their toes into that, there will be times they will want to ensure he is cheered nearly unanimously to avoid a repeat of countless men who have faced this fate, including Rhodes himself in AEW.

With that said, in this article, we will expand on fundamental philosophies of "build credible opponents" and "evolving one's character" and discuss three specific ways Triple H can ensure that WWE fans don't turn on Cody Rhodes.

#1. Avenging John Cena against Brock Lesnar

It is time to use the Cena/Cody equation and apply it differently - Source: Getty

With John Cena and Brock Lesnar seemingly set to battle at Clash in Paris, a shocking (metaphorical, or maybe not) assassination at the hands of The Beast could be the beginning of a story where Cody Rhodes tries to avenge one of his mentors. Simultaneously, Rhodes, instead of being against Cena, could be Cena's ally for the remainder of this run, teaming up with him or aiding him in trouble.

This could have always been the direction, but WWE likely did not want to "little brother" the face of the company next to the man he has inherited the mantle from. They went a more ambitious route, and regardless of one's opinions on the entire ordeal, one has to commend them for trying, even if they did not have a solid backup plan. Nonetheless, the show goes on, and the fans sure are cutting Cena a lot of slack this year, which is a bit ironic, too.

John Cena called them all horrible parents and failures and threatened to ruin wrestling, and they still go crazy every time he comes out. Surely, a sudden and unreasonable change in morality won't get them to change their minds. Hopefully, though, the sudden face turn can morph itself into a more classic storytelling device, and Cody's alliance with Cena could restore some of the favor from fans he has lacked of late.

#2. Teaming up with the babyface team vs Seth Rollins at WarGames

Post WrestleMania 39, Cody Rhodes' feud with Brock Lesnar and the long build to WarGames is what solidified him as the face of the company, even as Roman Reigns, the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, was on vacation, and Seth Rollins, the World Heavyweight Champion, was active as a babyface on the same brand.

Cody brought people together, such as Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, Jey Uso and top babyfaces on RAW, and he brought Randy Orton back. He also turned a bitter rivalry with Seth Rollins into a mutually respectful relationship and eventually a close friendship on the Road to Wrestlemania. The tables have turned now; Rhodes and Rollins are heading towards conflict. They are also the two World Champions in WWE. And Rollins is seizing the power on RAW as he plays the egos of CM Punk, Roman Reigns, and LA Knight against one another.

Cody and Cena allying together could also lead to them trying to get the babyfaces united in their quest to selflessly get past Seth Rollins, Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed, and allies. It would once again make for interesting storytelling as Rhodes interacts with Punk, Reigns, and Rollins, and behind the scenes, put into perspective how over he is with fans as compared to some of WWE's other top babyfaces, and allow WWE to gauge how to present its QB1 thereafter. Most importantly, it has no downside: we have seen this before with The Shield.

#3. Cody Rhodes needs to WRESTLE MORE

Cody Rhodes may be the best bell-to-bell pro wrestler on Planet Earth- Source: Getty

Cody Rhodes is a fantastic professional wrestler. And part of that is what goes on bell-to-bell, with The American Nightmare just as good as anybody. When compared to THE GUYS of the company's successful eras, Rhodes stands out as perhaps the most consistent and versatile wrestler in WWE history, and maybe with the highest ceiling, too.

Objectively, none of Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin, The Rock, John Cena, or Roman Reigns even come close to the current WWE Champion in this regard. Guys like Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels perhaps were, but then WWE suffered commercially with them leading the charge, and that remains a fact regardless of whether they were to blame.

Cody Rhodes may be an incredible promo guy, too, but there is only so much a white-meat babyface can do on the mic when appearing as WWE Champion each week, especially when he is often left alone carrying the biggest feuds in WWE. One thing that fans have to appreciate is the physical effort he puts in and the results he gets. Rhodes wrestling more on weekly TV going forward could help elevate younger stars, as well as his own profile in the fans' eyes.

Cody is in peak physical shape and over the past few years has had surefire MOTY contenders with Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens, AJ Styles, and now John Cena, and he has done it with universal acclaim and within the highly produced parameters of WWE. Yet, all of these evoke different emotions and are distinct in nature. They stand out.

And whether it's the top high-stakes matches or just his average rodeo, Cody Rhodes' matches make sense, aren't spot fests, engage the fans wildly, and garner critical acclaim from even the most ardent of old-timers. He fuses traditional storytelling and in-ring psychology with modern sensibilities to not just craft magic, but elevate opponents, and frequent matches with young talent could be invaluable experience for the stars of tomorrow, too.