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Roman Reigns has been at the top of WWE's ladder for over 700 days and his reign seems unstoppable. In recent years, he has defeated the likes of Brock Lesnar, Goldberg and John Cena to retain his title.
At Clash at the Castle 2022, he will face Drew McIntyre for the coveted Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. The event is in the United Kingdom, which is technically home territory for McIntyre, so fans might expect The Scottish Warrior to dethrone The Tribal Chief.
However, some believe that Drew McIntyre has lost the charisma he had in 2020 and isn't the perfect challenger to end Roman's monumental reign. In this article, we will explore five reasons why Cody Rhodes, not Drew McIntyre, should be the one to dethrone Roman Reigns.
#5. The supported babyface
Although Drew McIntyre is currently a fan favorite, it might not be true to say that he is the biggest babyface in the industry.
Cody Rhodes shockingly left AEW to join WWE back in April and has been featured as the biggest good guy on the roster since then.
Rhodes has been stealing the show at every opportunity. At Hell in a Cell 2022, he pulled off a miracle by wrestling in a classic match with a pectoral injury. He was also being advertised as the superstar on the posters of premium live events to boost sales. Currently, he is recovering and will return in a few months.
While fans would love to see Drew McIntyre dethrone Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes' victory will be better accepted by the audience without a doubt.
#4. Destroying criticism
In recent years, criticism of WWE's booking decisions has been elevated to a great extent. The formation of AEW is also a huge contributor to this discourse.
Fans who shifted to AEW have criticized Vince McMahon for not utilizing the talent of stars like Ricochet, Karrion Kross, Keith Lee, and many more. Triple H's leadership could change that course by letting Rhodes win the world title.
Cody winning the championship in Triple H's company will create a statement that The American Nightmare's talent is being valued. A lot of criticism towards WWE could be lowered and the fanbase could start to respect the booking decisions.
#3. Cody Rhodes' possible underdog story
Yes, Rhodes has been the biggest pro wrestling star in recent months. However, things haven't always been that way.
The American Nightmare has struggled in the midcard for as long as anyone can remember. And unfortunately for the fans that thought he'd win the big one in All Elite Wrestling, one of the first things Cody did after the launch of Dynamite was to book himself out of ever winning the AEW World title.
Many of Cody's fans have wanted to see him as the top champion and face of the company for a long time. With his return months away, the break will be perfect to create excessive support for the babyface.
Once he returns, WWE could craft the perfect underdog story about Cody Rhodes finally ending Roman Reigns' domination. Fans loved the stories of Daniel Bryan and Kofi Kingston becoming world champions, and Rhodes' win will be well received for sure.
The storyline will include thrilling promos from the rivals along with a classic final battle. The support for The American Nightmare will be insane, to say the least.
#2. Perfect WrestleMania 39 main event to end Roman Reigns' title reign
As noted earlier, Cody's return date is still some months away. Although he's not expected to be cleared before Royal Rumble 2023, a surprise return is always possible.
Rhodes can surprisingly return to the ring before the expected date to send shockwaves through the WWE Universe. He can go on to win the Men's Royal Rumble match and earn the right to face Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania 39.
While Clash at the Castle will be a major event, the main event of The Show of Shows will be the perfect place for Roman Reigns to lose his title.
#1. The American Nightmare's "Dream"
Cody Rhodes cut an extremely emotional promo on the RAW after WrestleMania 38 where he detailed why winning the world title is his ultimate goal.
His father, "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, went into the Hall of Fame but was never able to win a world championship in the Stamford-based promotion. His son promised to win it for the sake of his legacy.
Unfortunately, Dusty Rhodes is not with us anymore. However, his son could still complete his dream by winning the world title.
Drew McIntyre surely deserves to be champion, but a title victory will matter far more for Cody Rhodes. Thus, The American Nightmare should be the one to dethrone Roman Reigns.
Check out Cody Rhodes and four other WWE Superstars who almost won the Money in the Bank briefcase:
