Despite earlier reports of a heel turn for Cody Rhodes—including one that was reportedly pitched and briefly enacted prior to WrestleMania 41—WWE currently has no intention of portraying “The American Nightmare” as a full-time heel. This update comes via Fightful Select.
Fightful previously confirmed that a heel turn for Rhodes had indeed been presented to him as a creative direction. However, those close to the Undisputed WWE Champion were reportedly not in favor of the move. The main reasons cited were Rhodes’ consistent babyface reactions, strong merchandise sales, and his proven drawing power at live events.
In a more recent interview on The Pat McAfee Show, The Rock floated the idea of WWE revisiting the possibility of turning Cody heel—or even doing a storyline where “Cody sold The Rock his soul.” This, coupled with prior WrestleMania teases, reignited speculation among fans.
Despite the buzz, Fightful reports that as of WrestleMania 41, there were no plans in place to keep Rhodes a heel long-term, and WWE creative continues to book him as a top babyface. The report emphasized that “the company had creative plans for him as a babyface throughout the year,” adding that WWE was “reluctant to put too much of a spotlight on a heel direction” for Rhodes at this time.
It was also noted that several key voices backstage were against turning Rhodes heel altogether, citing how integral he has become to WWE’s success across multiple business metrics, including merchandise, live event attendance, and overall fan engagement.
Rhodes, who lost the Undisputed WWE Championship to John Cena at WrestleMania 41, is currently expected to return to WWE TV in the lead-up to Money in the Bank in June.
Stay tuned to PWMania.com for further updates on Cody Rhodes’ future direction and WWE creative developments.
