Stock Up and Stock Down for Cody Rhodes and More on Road to WWE WrestleMania 40

We're officially on the Road to WrestleMania 40 as WWE's top stars battle for a chance to create a career-defining moment.

The event is usually the culmination of the hottest storyline of the year, and this iteration is shaping up to be no different. Becky Lynch and Rhea Ripley are seemingly on a collision course, but women's Royal Rumble winner Bayley is amid a captivating split with former friends.

Meanwhile, Cody Rhodes is still on his quest to achieve what his father couldn't and win the WWE Championship. It has been an elaborate journey back to the top of the mountain filled with some unnecessary twists and turns, but we're finally on pace to see a proper conclusion.

We can't wait to see where he and some of our favorite wrestlers will end up come April 6-7. Let's track how these five stars' stock rose or dropped ahead of the Super Bowl of sports entertainment.

Stock Up: Bayley

Last year ended on a high note for Bayley as her storyline with Damage CTRL continued to pick up steam, making her a favorite to win the women's Rumble match.

The group's then-leader contributed some of the best storytelling to the women's WarGames match in November. Similarly, she was one of the highlights of the Rumble, picking up crafty eliminations and outlasting the other entrants to become this year's winner.

On the following episode of SmackDown, The Role Model managed to outsmart Iyo Sky, Kairi Sane and Asuka before they could betray her. She revealed she knew they were laughing and talking about her behind her back and challenged The Genius of the Sky for the WWE Women's Championship.

Bayley's first one-on-one bout at The Show of Shows was the first match announced for WrestleMania 40.

Stock Down: Seth Rollins

It has been a rough few weeks for Seth Rollins as he hopes to compete in the main event of The Showcase of the Immortals.

First, The Visionary sustained a knee injury that jeopardized his hopes of appearing at the event as world heavyweight champion. Then, rumored opponent CM Punk tore his triceps in the men's Rumble match, leaving him rudderless for a few weeks.

It was painful to watch him plead with Rhodes for a chance to headline 'Mania before Roman Reigns eviscerated him on the Feb. 2 episode of SmackDown.

The hits kept coming as he stood idly on the stage at the WrestleMania Kickoff show while The Tribal Chief admonished him and the title he desperately tried to elevate.

However, Rollins delivered an incredible promo on Monday's Raw to help right the ship, but his stock still took a major hit to start 2024.

Stock Up: Drew McIntrye

A much-needed change of direction has made Drew McIntyre one of the best characters in WWE.

Let's face it, the Scot had become a bland protagonist on a roster void of villainous main event players. The move to Raw, where he could challenge for a world title, and a compelling heel turn was the shot in the arm he needed.

His feud with Rollins, exchange with Rhodes and encounter with Punk were all tremendous. The two-time WWE champion has successfully capitalized on every moment on television and social media and developed convincing motivations.

The best villains can blur the lines, justify their actions and make us second-guess our allegiances. McIntyre is the most engaging heel on the red brand because his ambitions and promos feel real.

Stock Down: Damian Priest

Damian Priest had a breakout year in 2023, but it's hard to deny he has lost some momentum on the Road to WrestleMania 40.

The 2023 men's Money in the Bank winner should feel like a lingering threat to Rollins and Reigns, but he doesn't. Instead, he and the briefcase have become an afterthought, and The Judgment Day's tenure as the undisputed WWE tag team champions has grown stale.

The tag division has so much depth, but their reign has hindered its progress. Even more, it's harder to see where The Archer of Infamy and his stablemates will factor into plans for The Show of Shows.

That's confounding because the stable was a focal point on Raw for most of 2023.

Stock Up: Cody Rhodes

Cody Rhodes is, arguably, more popular than ever as he looks to finish the story and defeat Roman Reigns in their WrestleMania rematch.

Last month, The American Nightmare did the unthinkable when he became the first back-to-back Royal Rumble winner since 1998. Then, WWE made a baffling about-face and added The Rock to the equation.

The Great One vs. The Tribal Chief has been the most sought-after matchup for Reigns for the past three years. However, many viewers didn't want it to come at the expense of a storyline they had already invested in.

Luckily, the company seemingly pivoted thanks to the fans' outrage and put Rhodes back on track to face The Head of the Table. It hasn't been the most satisfying trek back to the promised land, but the second-generation Superstar could stick the landing after all.

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