Predicting Cody Rhodes' Road to WrestleMania if WWE Books Roman Reigns vs. The Rock
On the Day 1 edition of Raw, WWE dropped the first hint that fans could finally get the dream match they've been clamoring for, but what does that mean for Cody Rhodes?
The Rock made his surprise return to the company's flagship show during the first episode of the year. He initially interrupted Jinder Mahal and ran him down to the delight of the San Diego crowd.
However, he sparked the night's biggest talking point when he referenced The Head of the Table, Roman Reigns. It was the first time he mentioned his cousin on WWE programming since he became The Tribal Chief in 2020. In the process, The Brahma Bull potentially laid the groundwork for a marquee matchup at WrestleMania 40.
This showdown has certainly been a long time coming, as viewers have speculated about whether it could happen for the past three years. It also left many of us wondering where this leaves The American Nightmare.
An Unmistakable Feeling of Deja Vu
Since his return to WWE in 2022, Rhodes has made it his mission to "finish the story" and achieve something his father never could. After he won the 2023 men's Royal Rumble match, the second-generation wrestler was one step closer to his goal of becoming WWE champion.
Unfortunately, he fell short on The Grandest Stage of Them All when he unsuccessfully challenged Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. In the following months, the 38-year-old grew even more popular as he made his way through a myriad of obstacles to find his way back to the company's final boss.
On Nov. 27, Rhodes became the first man to declare for this year's men's Rumble and effectively re-enter the title picture as a two-time winner. Nevertheless, he has had to contend with a new foe in Shinsuke Nakamura. CM Punk further complicated things when he returned at Survivor Series, signed with Raw and announced he would take part in the annual event for the first time in 10 years.
Adding The Rock to the equation could ensure that Rhodes' rematch will happen even further down the line. Ironically, it's similar to what happened to Punk in 2013.
The Straight Edge Superstar was one of the hottest stars in WWE and the reigning champion ahead of 'Mania. As such, it seemed like his best chance to headline the event until The Rock unceremoniously ended his 434-day reign at the Royal Rumble.
The Great One went on to face John Cena again in the main event of WrestleMania 29, and The Second City Saint stole the show as he attempted to end The Undertaker's streak. If The American Nightmare doesn't earn another shot at Reigns, WWE must give him a match with significant stakes as well.
That will be an admittedly difficult task because the company has spent the entire year building him up for another confrontation with The Tribal Chief. There also isn't anything comparable to Undertaker's WrestleMania streak.
Another WrestleMania Rematch
Rhodes seemed confident that he could still lead the pack and earn a rematch during his appearance on Busted Open Radio in November.
"If Rock is part of WrestleMania 40, that would be outstanding, it's The Rock, but I don't think he'll be in my spot," he said.
From a storyline standpoint, he's certainly still the best option for The Tribal Chief's opponent. Of course, The Rock is the better business decision because WWE has been pursuing this matchup for over two years.
If the third-generation star agrees to take part in The Showcase of the Immortals, that will present an interesting conundrum, but it isn't set in stone. Still, this is the closest we've ever been to seeing The Rock vs. Reigns.
Although that's a once-in-a-lifetime match, it would be a disappointing development for some fans. Conversely, it could set up a match between Rhodes and Randy Orton for the upcoming event.
The two have a history together due to their time as The Legacy, which ended when The Viper betrayed him and Ted DiBiase Jr. Orton later defeated them in a Triple threat match at WrestleMania 27.
As such, this would be a perfect story for Rhodes to revisit on his quest to go from undesirable to undeniable. It isn't a career highlight on par with beating The Tribal Chief at the biggest show of the year, but it would give him a chance to earn another symbolic win that keeps his momentum going.
Besting and getting an endorsement from Brock Lesnar last year was a huge deal. Avenging his loss to his mentor and earning his respect would give him another achievement before he ultimately ends Reigns' historic tenure.
During the press conference following Orton's return at Survivor Series, he talked about how instrumental their time together was for him.
"At the end of the match, Randy said to me, 'Thanks for the phone call.' I wanted to tell him, 'Thanks for my career. I keep thinking this is gonna end, and I couldn't have gotten to where I got had I not been around Randy," he said.
"Randy is so wild, chaotic, and you hear all these funny stories about him and all this nonsense. But as a performer, professional wrestler, and WWE Superstar, what an outstanding mentor he was to me. Truly. I'll never forget standing in the ring at the Royal Rumble when he won, pointing at the WrestleMania sign. [I was] just thinking, 'I want to be like him.'"
With this in mind, it's hard to say it wouldn't mean something for him to beat The Legend Killer this time around in April. One would have to assume The Rock will lose and eventually set up a rematch between Reigns and Rhodes later this year.
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