Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has said a lot about WrestleMania 41, after his absence at the event led to mixed reactions from fans. This included the superstar saying that his original pitch was to have Cody Rhodes turn heel, but once the WWE decided to have John Cena turn instead, he felt he wasn't needed in the story as he had been previously. His thoughts make it sound like a heel turn for Cody was seriously considered, though a recent report seems to suggest the exact opposite.
As we wait for upcoming WWE PLEs as well as new movies from Dwayne Johnson, Fightful Select is reporting on what it has heard about the reality behind The Rock's pitch to turn Cody Rhodes heel. Here's what we know, as well as the odds of the superstar potentially returning to be one before the year is up.
The Rock Pitched The Idea Of Cody Rhodes Turning Heel, But The WWE Was Reportedly Not On Board
While the latest report from Fightful Select does confirm The Rock pitched Cody Rhodes turning heel ahead of WrestleMania 41, it contests that WWE was ever truly on board with the pitch. In fact, it's said that the company didn't want to turn Cody into a villain due to the amount of merchandise and tickets he's selling as a baby face wrestler. Additionally, he's still very over with the fandom at large as a hero.
While The American Nightmare has shown some darkness in his concerning ladder match with Kevin Owens and other moments, he ultimately is still the hero the WWE apparently wants leading the company until further notice. Granted, he's been away from the WWE since his loss at WrestleMania 41, and John Cena is running the show. Could we see Cody turn heel upon his return?
Will Cody Rhodes Turn Heel Before The End Of 2025?
The latest report suggests the WWE never wanted to turn Cody Rhodes heel, but one can't be curious if that'll still be the case after he returns from his absence. When a superstar is away for a long time, it's not uncommon for them to return with a drastic change in attitude.
All that being said, I feel the WWE is in desperate need of a hero at the top at the moment. The collective of Paul Heyman, Seth Rollins, and Bron Breakker adds more heel energy in addition to John Cena threatening to win pro wrestling every week. CM Punk and Roman Reigns kind of hit the mark for being faces, but still have attitudes one might call grumpy.
If you're looking for a true, blue American hero, Cody Rhodes is still the best option in the business. While it is true his hero persona wore down the crowd in AEW, it doesn't seem like his character is suffering the same fatigue in the WWE. I think that's because it's been such a long time since the brand had a face that the crowd truly liked, and it's so much easier to be a popular heel.
Would it be great to see Rhodes turn heel at some point? Sure, but I don't see it happening with the current state of the WWE. Right now, the roster is in more need of good guys at the top of the roster than heels. I could be wrong, and they could completely flip the script, but I think The American Nightmare will be the hero for a long time.
Monday Night Raw airs on Netflix on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET. Tune in to see all the wild stuff happening on the brand at the moment, as we gear up for a summer full of fun angles between superstars and the continuation of John Cena's final run.
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