28 Days of 'Mania: Why This Is the Time for Cody Rhodes to Step Up

Disclaimer: This will be an ongoing series for the next 28 days leading up to the biggest event in sports entertainment, WrestleMania 28. The idea behind the piece is to build more momentum for the event and give you, the Bleacher Report fan, a chance to read, comment and weigh in with opinions about the WWE, the business and the event. It is my hope this becomes something positive and we all enjoy the ride for the next four weeks to Miami and the biggest event of the wrestling year. Enjoy.

Every year it happens. That one moment when we see the future in professional wrestling.

A move, a pit, a comment, even a vignette or monologue that captivates us and makes us a fan.

It’s not necessarily by design, it just happens that way. The Miz. Dolph Ziggler, CM Punk, Bobby Roode and now Cody Rhodes.

Welcome to wrestling’s biggest stage. Have a seat and enjoy the ride.

It’s time for Rhodes to take his place among the best in the WWE and seek more gold. The Intercontinental Title is not a belt befitting someone who is rising faster than a shooting star in my opinion and the mid-card belt is only holding him back.

WrestleMania 28 is where the change will take place. The beginning, that is. Not a full transformation, but another building block in his development into a true WWE legend.

Rhodes’ pedigree and experience are better than most in the company right now and it is a shame that he has no been given a bigger push when wrestlers like Dolph Ziggler and Alberto Del Rio have held a world title.

Maybe this is his time.

It's hard to believe two years ago Rhodes was an afterthought, someone who was a third wheel when it came to wrestlers like Ted DiBiase and Randy Orton in Legacy. DiBiase was pegged as the next big thing while Rhodes toiled in mid-card wrestling.

Yes, he looked good in tag team competition, but in singles matches, he looked lost. Now, it could be argued he is better than Orton, a multiple-time world champion.

I have said all along I expect Rhodes to drop the Intercontinental Title (a strap that now means nothing) to Big Show and start a run at Sheamus when he beats Daniel Bryan for the World Title. I see a lot of what helped make The Rock a star being the same road Rhodes travels.

Remember, Steve Austin handed over the Intercontinental Title to The Rock before he chased WWE gold. With the right stage, script and angle, this could be the same situation.

Could we see another Rock or Shawn Michaels in the future? Maybe not on the level or with the same stage presence, but he could have magic in his hands.

And when another "true" star is needed to connect the next decade of wrestling, Rhodes seems to be the logical choice. And when someone is needed to make WrestleMania his true "coming out" party, there may not be a better choice.