Cody Rhodes is the ONLY Opponent for Roman Reigns at WWE WrestleMania 40

Finish. The. Story.

It has almost become a battle cry, not only for Cody Rhodes but also for WWE fans who hoped he would defeat Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39 but saw his dreams go up in smoke after interference from Solo Sikoa.

Unlike some outcomes, in which they would be dismayed by the creative choices made in such a high-stakes match and abandon the story, fans have remained passionately behind Rhodes in the pursuit of the one championship that eluded his father, Dusty.

The WWE Universe still believe in Rhodes and want to see him accomplish his career's mission. Anyone doubting as much should look no further than the staredown between him and Reigns on last Friday's SmackDown:

It was the first time since the night after WrestleMania that Rhodes and Reigns were in the same vicinity on WWE television, and the electricity that one staredown generated was enough to sell the rematch and confirm that the only main event for WrestleMania 40 is Rhodes-Reigns II.

Some thought WWE booked Rhodes and Jey Uso to win the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship specifically so there was a reason to get The American Nightmare onto SmackDown and have that moment with The Tribal Chief:

If that is the case, it created one of those moments that WWE strives for and sometimes goes out of its way to contrive. This did not feel forced, though. It was natural for Rhodes to come face-to-face with a man he knows he is better than; to stare him in the eyes and let him know he knows.

It established unfinished business, reminding fans that although he may have become somewhat distracted by his feud with Brock Lesnar and has been embroiled in a rivalry with The Judgment Day, Rhodes has not lost sight of the endgame: Dethroning Reigns and making sure his family's name is in the history books alongside the WWE Championship.

There has been considerable buzz surrounding a potential match between Reigns and The Rock for Philadelphia, buzz that was reenergized by The Great One himself during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show last month:

That match would bring spectacle to WrestleMania, and provide it a marquee contest to sell a lot of tickets and subscriptions on, but what long-term benefit is there?

Reigns finally loses the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship after nearly four years to a guy who is a part-time performer with no realistic chance of performing consistently beyond next April.

With all due respect to one of the most influential stars in wrestling history, Rock's time with the company as a championship wrestler who should be rolling into the biggest show of the year and beating the top star in WWE are over.

Spot returns where he can electrify the audience are fine and do big numbers for both his camp and WWE, but a match the magnitude of the WrestleMania main event should be saved at this point for the the competitors who can back up the best stories with elite in-ring performance.

Rhodes and Reigns delivered a classic in April, captivating fans in Los Angeles, all of whom were convinced they were about to see The American Nightmare win the top prize and finally dethrone The Tribal Chief.

It did not happen.

With the systematic dismantling of The Bloodline, Rhodes has fewer outside distractions and can focus on unseating The Head of the Table.

It's the story, the match and the moment that the 40th Showcase of the Immortals deserves. It's the spot Rhodes has earned. Most importantly, it's the conclusion to the last three years of storytelling that the fans need to justify their patience and emotional investment.

Some may point to LA Knight as the guy to beat Reigns or excitedly champion The Rock for that honor, but Rhodes vs. Reigns is the only suitable headlining bout for Philadelphia on April 7.

And that seconds-long staredown—on Friday the 13th—and the goosebump-inducing energy it produced, proved as much.