Cody Rhodes Has to Finish the Story vs. Roman Reigns, More WWE, AEW Quick Takes

The Road to WrestleMania 40 became a little less clear this past week when The Rock rang in the new year teasing that he has his sights set on undisputed WWE universal champion Roman Reigns.

Previously, all signs seemed to point to Cody Rhodes "finishing his story" by facing off with Reigns in a rematch on The Grandest Stage of Them All. And even in light of the latest development, those original plans must go unchanged.

All Elite Wrestling also ushered in 2024 in a major way last week by debuting highly sought-after free agent Deonna Purrazzo. She joins an already stacked women's division, which could be significantly strengthened with the addition of another notable name.

As rumors continue to swirl regarding Mercedes Moné's next move, AEW could soon lay claim to having a superior women's scene over WWE if it manages to land The CEO.

This installment of Quick Takes will discuss AEW bolstering its women's division, Tyler Bate's ceiling on SmackDown, why AEW must strike while the iron is hot with Daniel Garcia this time around, and more.

Roman Reigns Must Be Who Cody Rhodes Defeats for Undisputed WWE Championship

The Rock returning to throw his name into the hat of potential opponents for Reigns has led to fans speculating where and when that megamatch could take place, with WrestleMania 40 being the general consensus.

That would be an acceptable scenario almost any other year, but Cody Rhodes must be the one challenging and dethroning The Tribal Chief at The Show of Shows in April.

Reigns has been champion for long enough. Delaying Rhodes' crowning moment for another time could cause it to mean less as well as do further damage to the SmackDown main event scene. WrestleMania 40 is the perfect place for it to happen.

Although it's possible for Reigns to first drop the title to Randy Orton in the Fatal 4-Way at the Royal Rumble without getting pinned, that would be an incredibly anticlimactic way for his historic run to end.

Rhodes capturing the prize his father never could is what his story is all about, but The Tribal Chief must be the obstacle he overcomes after the deflating fashion in which WrestleMania 39 concluded.

Rock vs. Reigns works just as well as the top attraction for Elimination Chamber, especially with it being such a heavily touted international show in Australia. The Head of the Table can reign supreme there in February before falling to Rhodes when it matters most.

AEW Must Strike While Iron Is Hot With Daniel Garcia

Daniel Garcia was well on his way to breaking out as a singles star in the summer of 2022 during his storyline with Bryan Danielson, but the decision to keep him as a heel in the Jericho Appreciation Society ultimately derailed his momentum.

It was a while before Garcia was able to stand out again and build his own identity. His recent string of stellar showings in the Continental Classic helped tremendously with that, and he's now on the verge of becoming a breakout babyface once again.

AEW's simplest solution would be to run with it and keep the organic fanfare for him rolling. If there aren't any meaningful plans set in stone for him at this moment, there should be.

It was evident during Dynamite's main event last Wednesday that he and Swerve Strickland can be two of the young, promising stars AEW builds around in 2024 and beyond. Strickland is already at the main event level, and Garcia shouldn't be fair behind.

It would be egregious for the company to make the same mistake with Garcia twice as he has far too much to offer to be relegated to midcard mediocrity for longer than he has been.

How Nia Jax's WWE Return Run Has Exceeded Expectations So Far

Nia Jax's surprise return to WWE last September received a mixed reaction from fans online and justifiably so with how lackluster her previous run went.

The Raw roster in particular has plenty of women who aren't getting proper television time or character development, so for Jax to be brought back in a recurring role drew understandable criticism.

To the company's credit, though, she has been used exceptionally well so far.

From the moment she resurfaced on Raw, she has been made out to feel like the ultimate unstoppable force. Her reign of dominance has included victories over the likes of Zoey Stark, Shayna Baszler and Raquel Rodriguez, among others.

Jax is also the perfect foil for Becky Lynch on the road to WrestleMania given the history they have dating back to 2018. Their clash on the Day 1 edition of Raw was perhaps the best Jax has ever had, and the eventual rematch should be just as entertaining.

It remains to be seen how WWE intends to utilize Jax once her rivalry with Lynch runs its course, but this run has been beneficial in rehabbing her reputation with the audience and proving she can be an asset to the roster after all.

Projecting Tyler Bate's Ceiling on SmackDown

Following a seven-year stint on WWE's developmental brands, Tyler Bate finally joined the main roster as a member of SmackDown last Friday night.

Alongside longtime ally Butch, Bate bested Pretty Deadly in tag team action and looked impressive in the process. It was more a matter of when than if he'd be called up with virtually nothing left to do in NXT, and everything about his introduction was ideal.

It appears he'll be slotted in a team with Butch on Friday nights for the foreseeable future and that's definitely the correct role for him right now.

In the long term, he has the potential to be a perfectly competent midcard player, possibly at the Intercontinental or United States Championship level. His smaller statue will prevent him from being seen on the same level as WWE's biggest stars, but his tremendous talent should be enough to endear him to the audience over time.

In the meantime, showcasing his skills and having direction will ensure Bate's main roster run gets off to a smooth start and into an angle, likely with SmackDown gatekeepers Austin Theory and Grayson Waller.

Mercedes Moné, Deonna Purrazzo Can Add to Growing Momentum in AEW Women's Division

AEW was wise to secure Deonna Purrazzo just days into her free agency. She's a three-time Impact Knockouts world champion and arguably one of the best technical female wrestlers in the world today.

Conspicuous by her absence on last week's Dynamite was Mercedes Moné, who many fans expected to see. WWE and AEW are equally likely landing spots for her, but joining the latter promotion would ensure she's in the spotlight and featured prominently on a weekly basis.

She'd no doubt have success in WWE as well if she were to return tomorrow, but with AEW's women's division finally starting to hit its stride on the whole, it might be more appealing for her to be a part of that renaissance than potentially get lost in the shuffle in WWE much like last time.

Toni Storm and Julia Hart are the right people for the roles they currently find themselves in as champions. Moné and Purrazzo can eventually challenge them, but AEW should also be focused on creating more stories for the women outside of the title pictures as well.

Recently, we've seen more of that with Kris Statlander, Willow Nightingale, Skye Blue and Anna Jay, in addition to their matches receiving more time. With Thunder Rosa being back and Jamie Hayter returning before long, it should only be onward and upward for the division from here.

---

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content.