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Why Cody Rhodes Is WWE's Most Overrated Superstar

Donald Wood
Sep 13, 2026

Despite Triple H and WWE Creative presenting Cody Rhodes as one of the company's biggest stars and essentially its top babyface, the former world champion is the most overrated Superstar on the main roster.

And it's not that Rhodes isn't talented. He is. The problem is that WWE elevated him to a level where his actual in-ring performances, storylines, and impact on weekly programming don't always justify his status.

WrestleMania 40 was a huge accomplishment, and his popularity is undeniable, but his booking since winning that world championship has consistently failed to live up to the massive push he received.

Lackluster Championship Reigns

One of the biggest issues is that, despite holding the WWE Championship for extended periods and facing top names like AJ Styles, Randy Orton, and John Cena, none of these rivalries will be remembered as great title runs.

Rhodes' title defenses often feel like he's beating a series of challengers that have no real chance of taking the championship away from him, instead of the latest chapter in a long-term storyline.

Winning the world title from Roman Reigns was the most compelling part of Rhodes' journey so far, but once he became champion, the WWE Universe hasn't been given a compelling reason to care.

Lackluster Character Development

Another aspect of Rhodes' current form that negatively affects his character is his lack of proper development and evolution. The babyface formula worked well when he was chasing the championship, but it's less effective now that he's on top.

Rhodes gets knocked down, gives an emotional promo, fights back, and ultimately wins, but WWE Creative keeps using essentially the same formula. Losses never feel like they fundamentally change his character or direction.

What Rhodes needs now is more vulnerability and unpredictability, making him a top babyface whose losses make him more interesting, hopefully starting with Randy Orton following the loss at Sunday Night's Main Event.

Rhodes' story was compelling when he was trying to finish it, but now that he has, WWE hasn't figured out what the next chapter should be.

Pushing Rhodes at the Expense of Other Stars

While the lack of character development since his time in AEW is a major reason Rhodes is overrated, the biggest problem with his position on the card is what WWE could be doing with other wrestlers.

For the first time in years, the retirement of several big names has given the company a deep roster of potential main-event stars, including Oba Femi, Bron Breakker, Gunther, Jacob Fatu, and more.

Rhodes, 41, has been on top long enough and should be able to have important non-title feuds. He should elevate younger wrestlers instead of continuing to fight for world championships as often as he has in the past.

Triple H and WWE Creative should build the next Cody Rhodes, not find reasons to keep him at the center of everything. It's abundantly clear that Rhodes doesn't need the WWE Championship to be a star, and the company needs to prove that.

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