For years, fans have asked for Cody Rhodes to turn heel. Even during his time in AEW, many believed “The American Nightmare” would work better as a villain. But despite all that pressure, Cody has stayed a babyface — and he has a very clear reason for it.
After leaving WWE in 2016, Cody Rhodes rebuilt his career from scratch. He wrestled across the world and even had a strong heel run in Japan and Ring of Honor. When he helped launch All Elite Wrestling in 2019, he was positioned as one of the top good guys in the company.
By the time he returned to WWE at WrestleMania 38, he was already a major star. In just a short period, he became WWE’s top babyface.
Why Cody Rhodes Refuses to Turn Heel
Recently, Cody appeared on Live with Kelly and Mark and spoke about the classic wrestling roles — heels (bad guys) and babyfaces (good guys).
He explained that for a long time, WWE focused on anti-heroes. These were characters who were not fully good or bad. But according to Cody, WWE has now entered a new era.
He believes:
- Younger fans are strongly supporting babyfaces.
- Traditional good guys are popular again.
- The anti-hero phase is fading.
Cody even mentioned names like Jey Uso and Sami Zayn as examples of superstars that kids absolutely love right now.
For Cody, being in that position is special. He enjoys the connection with families and young fans. That is why he does not want to leave that spot.
In his words, being a babyface is fun.
The Road to WrestleMania 42 Looks Tough
However, staying a babyface is not always easy — especially when crowd reactions begin to shift.
Last month, Cody shockingly lost the WWE Championship to Drew McIntyre in a brutal Three Stages of Hell match on SmackDown. The loss changed the entire WrestleMania picture.
Cody wants his rematch at WrestleMania 42. But not everyone in the WWE Universe is excited about that idea.
Here’s why:
| Issue | Fan Reaction |
|---|---|
| Third Royal Rumble Win | Fans in Saudi Arabia showed no interest |
| McIntyre Feud | Some feel the rivalry is already done |
| Repetitive Booking | Concerns about predictable storytelling |
At a recent event in Saudi Arabia, the crowd clearly showed they did not want Cody to win the Royal Rumble for a third time. That is a strong signal.
Could the Crowd Turn on Cody?
If WWE moves forward with another one-on-one match between Cody and Drew at WrestleMania 42, there is a real chance the audience could flip the roles.
Wrestling history has shown this before. When fans feel a storyline is forced or repeated too often, they sometimes support the heel instead.
That would put Cody in a difficult position:
- Stay babyface and risk negative reactions
- Adjust his character slightly
- Or fully embrace a heel turn
So far, Cody seems committed to staying a good guy.
Why Being a Babyface Matters Today
Cody’s belief is simple — WWE is booming with young fans again. In such an environment, clear heroes matter.
Children love cheering for someone they see as brave, honest, and hardworking. That is the image Cody wants to represent.
In today’s wrestling world:
- Merchandise sales are heavily youth-driven.
- Family audiences are growing.
- Positive role models are valuable.
From a business point of view, being the top babyface can be more powerful than being the top villain.
