Cody Rhodes Teases Unconventional WWE Heel Turn: ‘I’m Already a Heel’
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Cody Rhodes has once again addressed the possibility of a heel turn in WWE. The American Nightmare is open to playing the bad guy, but he believes such a move might look very different from what fans expect.
Since returning to WWE, Rhodes has been one of the company’s biggest babyfaces. His journey to the top of WWE was built around his popularity and his goal of finishing the story. However, fans have often wondered what a heel run would look like for The American Nightmare.
Rhodes has now shared his thoughts on the subject during an appearance on ESPN’s Unsportsmanlike.
During the interview, Rhodes was asked about a possible heel turn and the idea of joining forces with Paul Heyman. He explained that he has a special relationship with Heyman because of the latter’s connection with his father, Dusty Rhodes.
Heyman recently appeared on Rhodes’ podcast, where they discussed their history and the reason behind their close bond. However, Rhodes said that his future character direction would depend on what WWE needs.
“I have a unique relationship with Mr. Heyman because of his relationship with my dad and he actually just came on my podcast. It’s going to air, I think the week after Thanksgiving, but there’s more exposition in that for, because people ask me all the time. People ask me all the time why we get along. He has a really unique relationship and reputation, and in sports entertainment, pro wrestling, and in the pod, we talked a lot about why it is, and there’s a sense of loyalty. I’m really open to, that’s the biggest thing that I tell people all the time with, you’re going to make that shift and you’re going to go heel or you stay babyface, whatever it is, whatever’s best for WWE to be,” Rhodes said.
He also admitted that fans have started viewing him differently.
“But we are starting to get into an area where if you think I’m a heel, then I’m already a heel. If you think I’m, you know, and I don’t, I’m not trying to make it so that you can’t get what you want, but if you think I’m a heel, I might already be a heel because we have a whole other side of it that doesn’t think that,” Rhodes said.
The American Nightmare explained that fans don’t always agree on how they view a wrestler. Some might see him as a babyface, while others might consider his actions those of a heel.
He used his recent comments about Randy Orton as an example. Rhodes admitted that he enjoyed punting his former mentor during their Last Man Standing match. He even tried to make the promo sound more aggressive.
However, the crowd cheered instead of booing him.
“I went out there the other night, and I said, ‘I loved punting Randy Orton.’ I loved it, and I tried to put a little like growl in it. I loved it, and they just cheered, and I thought, ‘Oh, I thought they were going to boo,” Rhodes recalled.
Rhodes also explained why a heel run might not be what fans expect. He believes changing sides would affect several parts of his current character.
“The beautiful thing about our fans. You really, there’s no wrong way to be a fan. You can’t guess which direction. To hit it on the head a little more specifically, if something like Heyman or someone else, me as a heel would take a lot away from what I currently do, and it would probably add in its own way. I don’t want to say it’s different. I think it looks different than people think,” Rhodes added.
He pointed out that his current role involves dealing with sensitive subjects and representing WWE in different situations. One example is his involvement in the Team USA and Team Mexico storyline.
Rhodes questioned whether a heel version of himself would approach such situations the same way. He also joked that a heel version of Cody Rhodes might not even get invited to shows like Unsportsmanlike.
However, he isn’t against exploring that side of his character.
“I’m very open to it. I think everyone in creative always, you know, Triple H is the one guiding the ship here, and I think when something like that, when it’s time, we won’t miss that opportunity. But if it’s never time, I’m sorry. I don’t know.” Rhodes said.
