Despite recent speculation fueled by the superstar himself, there are reportedly “no plans” for the new Undisputed WWE Champion, Cody Rhodes, to turn heel in the foreseeable future. A new report indicates that WWE is fully committed to Rhodes as its top babyface and that his recent teases of a character shift were a deliberate misdirection aimed at a specific segment of the fanbase.
According to a new report from WrestleVotes Radio, WWE has no intention of turning its top star to the dark side. Since his return to the company at WrestleMania 38 in 2022, Cody Rhodes has been presented as the ultimate hero, a journey that culminated this past weekend when he defeated a heel John Cena at SummerSlam to win the Undisputed WWE Championship for a second time. The new report confirms that this heroic persona is here to stay. WWE and its parent company, TKO Group Holdings, see Rhodes as their definitive top babyface and have little interest in altering the character that has connected so deeply with the audience.
The recent buzz about a potential heel turn was largely sparked by Rhodes’s own comments in recent interviews, where he discussed his extreme vision for what a villainous version of the “American Nightmare” might look like. However, the WrestleVotes report suggests that this was not a hint of things to come, but rather a “strategic misdirection.”
Sources for the report suggested that these comments were intentionally done as a way of engaging a “corner of fandom”—the more hardcore, online audience that often calls for more complex, anti-hero characters. By acknowledging the possibility of a darker side, Rhodes can maintain his \"cool factor\" with this demographic without ever actually betraying his heroic character. This fits perfectly within his long-term storyline, which has seen him resist the temptations offered by figures like The Rock, who literally wanted him to \"sell his soul.\"
The report also highlights the significant business reasons why a Cody Rhodes heel turn is highly unlikely. As the face of the company, Rhodes’s value to WWE extends far beyond the ring. He is a major ambassador for the brand, a massive merchandise seller, and the face of numerous corporate partnerships.
