Two-time Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes recently opened up about the possibility of turning heel in the future, admitting that while he enjoys the challenge of being a babyface, there may come a time when a change is needed.
Speaking on his podcast What Do You Wanna Talk About? (h/t WrestlingNews.co for the transcription), Rhodes was asked by guest Rey Mysterio whether he prefers working as a babyface or a heel. Rhodes explained that, for now, he embraces the difficulty of remaining virtuous in today’s entertainment landscape.
“I feel right now, I like the challenge of being a babyface, because it seems almost impossible some nights. Because it’s easier to be cooler. I really admire Logan Paul‘s situation. He could fall flat on his face, and it’s no big deal, nothing lost. He can be mad at that crowd. I think sometimes there’s some elements of being a heel that are a lot of fun, whereas as a babyface, especially a white-meat style or more how Cena would put it, ‘virtuous’ where you’re really trying to make the right choices. That’s not always the most appealing thing by modern entertainment standards.”
Rhodes noted that WWE’s current family-oriented audience gives his character a natural place to thrive, but he acknowledged the creative freedom that often comes with being a heel.
“I think if we ever transition or if a heel (turn) was to come back up, that might be something I could even need in my life and don’t realize it, just from the sheer, ‘Let’s go out there and have some fun.’ I feel like there’s a lot of pressure and a challenge on the babyface spot. Whereas sometimes, in my experience at least, being a heel is a little bit, ‘Let’s just go have some fun. Nothing needs to happen until we’re ready for it to happen, we’ll get it when we get it.’ You can dictate that pace a little bit more too.”
Rhodes has remained a babyface since his return at WrestleMania 38 in 2022 and has consistently been positioned as one of WWE’s central heroic figures. However, his trajectory shifted earlier this year when he lost the Undisputed WWE Championship to Drew McIntyre in a Three Stages of Hell match in January 2026. The winner of the upcoming contender’s bout will challenge McIntyre for the title at WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas.
Whether a heel turn is on the horizon remains to be seen, but Rhodes made it clear that he sees creative appeal in exploring that side of his character at some point in the future.
