The case for turning Cody Rhodes into a WWE heel champion | News, results, highlights, stats and rumors

The idea of ​​Cody Rhodes becoming a villain anytime soon is not going to sit well with many fans. After years of striving to finish the story and defeat Roman Reigns, it all feels too fresh.

But from a professional wrestling perspective? There's no better time for it.

However, this isn't the Vince McMahon era, it doesn't have to be for some cheap pop that doesn't make sense. It's a moment that can be earned. And when you look at the landscape of the WWE, it kind of makes sense.

Storytelling in WWE has evolved, and so has the business as a whole. CM Punk and Drew McIntyre just put together one of the best modern feuds we've ever seen while one guy sat on the bench for most of the year. Reigns didn't do anything at all before his recent return, while the actions of the wrestlers who were actually on the show turned his entire reputation with fans on its head.

That said, over time, Rhodes could naturally ease into the inevitable Homelander comparison from The Boys and make it make sense. A corrupt Rhodes, blurring the lines between real and fake while pointing out all he's done for the industry, would be super entertaining – especially if he technically clashed with a do-gooder version of Reigns.

The business aspect is also a big part of it. At the time, it was felt that the WWE needed someone like John Cena to stay in his lane so that they could produce merchandise that would sell in large quantities, especially to younger fans.

One look at the modern WWE says it all. While Rhodes is certainly doing great business as a good guy right now, Reigns was doing the same as the evil tribal chief, performing in front of literally thousands and manipulating and abusing his own family members.

Nowadays WWE does not need a top merch mover at the top. Look at Jey Uso and LA Knight for prime examples of this – they're probably stuck in purgatory and won't even get close to the top titles now that those titles revolve around massive, long-form storytelling with top stars. But that certainly won't stop them from putting big dollar signs on the financial statements.

Make no mistake, WWE has a good approach with its storytelling as the old fashioned feud requirements of babyface vs. heel are all but dead. Heels can clash and a 50-50 like Reigns can attack Rhodes.

But Rhodes' transformation into a villain could be too much fun to pass up. That's especially true if the backbreaker, or so to speak, gets into a feud with his old friend Randy Orton – one of the most popular babyfaces in the company, whose career appears to be coming to an end.

While fans are correct in assuming that the old Orton would be the one to betray Rhodes if a feud between them erupts soon, the idea of ​​Rhodes using his own “Legend Killer” persona to take out Orton is quite intriguing.

Granted, a heel Rhodes versus a babyface Reigns at WrestleMania or something similar would have been on exactly zero WWE bingo cards three months ago. But that's the beauty of this sport and its ever-evolving narratives.

You also have to wonder how much of a ticking time bomb this version of Rhodes is. He's already flirting with falling into the “Super Cena” category because it's so obvious he's not going to lose, and his feuds after winning the big fight just lacked the Rubber stamp. It's starting to resemble the tailspin that marked the end of his tenure in AEW.

Rhodes would just shrug it off and accept that he's unstoppable. That would be one way to build an incredible villain to rival Reigns' peaks. There are so many interesting milestones to consider, like betraying Orton, completely tarnishing Cena's farewell tour, siding with Solo Sikoas Bloodline, maybe even becoming friendly with The Rock, it goes on and on. We do have the absolute silliness of him giving away his Royal Rumble win to Rock, after all. Light up.

A big disclaimer: Rhodes has to want it. Speculation is that he doesn't want it, especially since even his AEW persona is currently Top dog of the WWE It's written all over his face. But he's back and at the top, at a time when his exact formula is in danger of becoming a relic of a bygone era.

This gives Rhodes the opportunity to steer the modern era of defining top champions and telling more meaningful stories. It started with Bloodline and Reigns, but he is undoubtedly capable of taking it further if everyone involved agrees.

It's actually not that hard to make a case for a villain Rhodes. These long-running series with complex characters are great, so it would be a huge disappointment if he wasn't willing to explore the other end of the spectrum and the story possibilities there, probably for a large portion of the fanbase.