Cody Rhodes showed a considerably more ruthless side against Randy Orton at WWE Sunday Night’s Main Event, but that reportedly isn’t leading to a full-fledged heel turn — at least for now.
Despite speculation following the September 6 main event, one source reports that WWE currently has no plans to officially turn Rhodes heel.
While the possibility of a heel turn hasn’t been completely ruled out for the future, it reportedly isn’t the direction WWE intends to pursue with “The American Nightmare” at this time.
One significant factor is said to be Rhodes’ continued success as a merchandise seller. Rhodes remains one of WWE’s most popular stars among merchandise-buying fans, and the company reportedly doesn’t want to jeopardize millions of dollars in potential sales for the sake of a heel storyline.
That doesn’t necessarily mean Rhodes’ character will remain exactly the same.
WWE could continue exploring a darker and more aggressive side of Rhodes while keeping him positioned as a babyface, something that was evident throughout his match against Orton at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.
The highly personal encounter quickly descended into a violent brawl, spilling into the crowd near Rhodes’ family before eventually leaving Orton bloodied.
Rhodes struck his former mentor with the steel steps and unloaded with repeated punches before connecting with multiple Cross Rhodes. He later appeared prepared to take things even further by using Orton’s punt kick against him.
Orton pleaded with Rhodes not to deliver the move, causing Rhodes to hesitate and ultimately show mercy.
That decision immediately came back to haunt him.
Orton took advantage of Rhodes’ hesitation by delivering a low blow before connecting with an RKO to secure the victory.
For now, Rhodes appears set to remain on the babyface side of WWE’s roster, although his increasingly aggressive behavior against Orton could allow the company to continue adding darker shades to his character without committing to an outright heel turn.
