4 directions for Cody Rhodes after The Rock seemingly took his WWE WrestleMania 40 spot 

The latest edition of WWE SmackDown ended with a gigantic confrontation between The Rock and Roman Reigns. That begs the question, 'Where does Cody Rhodes' Road to WrestleMania 40 lead to now?'

The American Nightmare recently won his second Royal Rumble match, which guarantees a World Championship shot for him at The Show of Shows. Up until Friday, all signs were pointing to him choosing The Tribal Chief and avenging his loss from last year.

However, with The Rock popping up all of a sudden, Cody's 'story' might have been put on the back burner. That said, he still has a decision to make. It turns out there are numerous directions he could go in as WWE WrestleMania 40 gets closer.

So, let's list down the four most logical directions for the 2023 & 2024 Royal Rumble winner now that he has gifted his spot to The Fast & Furious star.

#4. Go rogue and add himself to Roman Reigns vs. The Rock

Ever since his return to WWE, Cody Rhodes has been adamant about winning the title that was snatched from his father's hands. So, to go through the trouble of winning the Royal Rumble, not once but twice, only to show that he's in no hurry to win said belt doesn't make much sense.

Perhaps that's all a part of the bigger picture. If Cody suddenly realizes that he's made a mistake and needs to correct it before it's too late, that would be an interesting angle.

In order to reclaim his shot at the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship, he could take a page out of Daniel Bryan's playbook and go rogue until he gets what he wants.

If The American Dragon can insert himself into two 'Mania main events without ever winning the Rumble, Rhodes should be able to do it just this once. After all, he does have a guaranteed title shot in his pocket.

#3. Challenge The Tribal Chief at Elimination Chamber

A major chunk of WWE Universe compares Cody Rhodes to John Cena. So, nobody would complain if he followed in the footsteps of the 16-time World Champion to secure his title shot.

After John Cena won the 2008 Royal Rumble match, he announced that he didn't want to wait until WrestleMania to get his title shot. Instead, he challenged then-Champion Randy Orton at No Way Out (the premium live event before 'Mania).

Now, with The Rock vs. Roman Reigns being on the verge of being announced, Cody Rhodes could get a crack at the Tribal Chief well ahead of The Show of Shows. The iconic rematch might headline Elimination Chamber in Perth, Australia.

With The Aussie crowd no longer getting to see CM Punk and Brock Lesnar in action, they still deserve to watch headliners wrestle. And Rhodes vs. Reigns II might be what pulls them back in.

#2. Finish the Story... where it began

The Rock meddling in an incredible storyline that was on the cusp of climaxing may not have sat well with a multitude of fans. However, that doesn't disregard the fact that he's a man of his word.

The Rock teased a WrestleMania showdown against Roman Reigns during an episode of Young Rock. He made it perfectly clear that a match of such a level could only take place at The Grandest Stage Of Them All. That's where the seeds for this family feud were planted.

So, what's stopping Cody from doing the same? The story that The American Nightmare is striving to complete began when Dusty Rhodes' WWWF Championship win was declared null and void. The venue of this heartbreak was the ever-iconic Madison Square Garden.

Thus, what Cody can do is not cash in on his title shot at WrestleMania 40 and reserve his challenge for the next MSG show. Is it a risky move? Sure, but if there's one thing about Cody Rhodes, it's that he's not scared to bet on himself.

#1. Announce that he's challenging Seth Rollins

There's no chance that The Rock will make his wrestling return against anyone but Roman Reigns. But Cody Rhodes can be flexible with his goal.

On the RAW following Royal Rumble, Seth Rollins interrupted Cody and made an immensely strong case on why The American Nightmare should choose him. Interestingly, The Dashing One didn't pass up on that offer.

Moreover, with Cody himself introducing The Rock as Roman Reigns' next rival, his most logical next step might be to just accept The Visionary's proposition and set his sights on his title.

The two-month build can focus on a plethora of storyline points. From Rollins' quest to finally beat The American Nightmare to the both of them elevating the prestige of the World Heavyweight Championship, it could be a rich program.