The Cody Rhodes Situation

[Bob Loblaw]

Fans were interested in Cody right after his E departure because he was trying to get in with the “it” crowd. He latched on to BC, which gave us All In, and eventually AEW. I give him credit there, but that’s where it stops. Dude was out of place in BC and IMO, always came off like a try hard with The Elite. I mean, it looks like they don’t even fuxk with him anymore.

He’s far from a draw. People’s curiosity made him a draw. Years later he’s been exposed for being the same Performer he was in the E. People aren’t paying to see Cody Rhodes like people would pay to see Austin or Rock; shyt, even Flabby Taker would do better numbers.

In terms of character, Roman Reigns has shytted on Cody these past 2 years than Cody’s entire career. He’s truly a B+ talent.

He’s b minus - b at best

 

[Jmare007]

Debating over him sucking "but not THAT much" really encapsulates Daffy Rhodes

 

[Starboy52]

All this on a random ass Wednesday evening in December. What was the reason, Cody???

 

[prophecypro]

I think he is turning heel and this is the slow turn but we'll see


Its a mark centric promotion so this kinda reaction to organically hate a babyface forcing it makes sense


I mean look I give AEW the benefit of the doubt with these slow burn stories so I've got to beleive thats the reason but we'll see

 

[The Intergalactic Koala]

All this on a random ass Wednesday evening in December. What was the reason, Cody???

He could have done this foolishness in a hype city of Chicago, but at some gas station arena in bumblebutt county Georgia ,

At least Mankind got his best concussions in places that would give a damn

 

[TrueEpic08]

All this on a random ass Wednesday evening in December. What was the reason, Cody???

I'm just gonna throw this in here (from the thread on his recent interview):

I pity this dude, I really do. Cody can't seriously think that this is important after everything he's done.

Then again, this is the guy who just set himself on fire in one of the dumbest and most dangerous spots I've seen in a while just to get a pop, even though:

1. His life is going to SUCK for the next few weeks as a result.
2. The fans are going to go right back to booing him, probably harder than ever now.
3. The show did a bad number, quite possibly in part because he was in the main event (haven't seen the segment breakdowns yet).
4. A smattering of fans (you know the ones) are already responding to said number by saying that AEW didn't really try to put on the best show possible before the next few weeks of big shows, despite Cody SETTING HIMSELF ON FIRE TO GET A POP FROM SAID FANS.

And now he's mad that a fukking Apter mag, which hasn't mattered in at least two decades, didn't give him their top slot in their fake fake wrestler rankings.

Usually, I would hate shyt like this (it's one of the reasons I hate Triple H so much), but this is just sad now. This shyt is a genuine Shakespearean tragedy; I'm in awe at how this guy can want to be so desperately liked, yet do everything possible to not actually be liked. Astonishing stuff, really.

 

[DaylitoJames]

All this on a random ass Wednesday evening in December. What was the reason, Cody???

When your back looks like some candle wax drip bdsm gone wrong…. THATS HARD TIMES!

 

[Tres Leches]

Cody just needs to turn on the most over baby face and he’d get nuclear heat.

cody vs hangman

 

[MenacingMonk]

He’s gonna be off tv for a few weeks and when he returns he’s still gonna get booed. I bet he thinks he’ll be over now.

 

[KingBeez]

I thought people were in on Cody’s “never turning heel” gimmick. His reluctance to “turning heel”, his kevin nash “finger poke of doom” like pyro, and over inflated sense of self makes him a heel

Cody and Brandi are the new age HHH & Stephanie, minus Cody purposely putting himself in the main event.

The HHH sledgehammer and golden shovel moments in the show kinda made it obvious that this is their gimmick

 

[Max.]

U fukkn marks were crying after his match with gold dust i aint fukkn forget

 

[TrueEpic08]

I thought people were in on Cody’s “never turning heel” gimmick. His reluctance to “turning heel”, his kevin nash “finger poke of doom” like pyro, and over inflated sense of self makes him a heel

Cody and Brandi are the new age HHH & Stephanie, minus Cody purposely putting himself in the main event.

The HHH sledgehammer and golden shovel moments in the show kinda made it obvious that this is their gimmick

I've been thinking that he might be doing that for a while, and I'm not sure if that would actually annoy me more than him just being oblivious.

As long as Cody and AEW refuse to acknowledge how obnoxious Cody's character stasis and presentation are, his reactions aren't going to change, and a meta-heel schtick (I legitimately think Cody is so delusional that he still sees himself as a babyface right now) probably doesn't change that.

 

[The Rainmaker]

All this on a random ass Wednesday evening in December. What was the reason, Cody???

Get your back looking like roast beef for some pops, brehs.

 

[Jmare007]

I've been thinking that he might be doing that for a while, and I'm not sure if that would actually annoy me more than him just being oblivious.

As long as Cody and AEW refuse to acknowledge how obnoxious Cody's character stasis and presentation are, his reactions aren't going to change, and a meta-heel schtick (I legitimately think Cody is so delusional that he still sees himself as a babyface right now) probably doesn't change that.

I truly wonder if that kind meta gimmick would work in AEW considering a big part of it's audience is into that kind of shyt. Will Cody's schtick eventually get him cheered, almost as if it was a comedy act?

 

[TrueEpic08]

I truly wonder if that kind meta gimmick would work in AEW considering a big part of it's audience is into that kind of shyt. Will Cody's schtick eventually get him cheered, almost as if it was a comedy act?

Cody's too overbearing and self-serious to make something like that work. One of the things that makes a gimmick like Orange Cassidy's work is it's self-evident and self-aware ridiculousness in and out of kayfabe. We know his kicks don't work, the opponents know the kicks don't work...shyt, he knows they don't work. He still does them and they're an integral part of his character. And it makes the times when they really get to his opponent in a serious fashion mean something. Cody hasn't shown...any of this type of self-awareness and intelligence, really. The audience might feel insulted by him trying to do a meta-heel gimmick more than anything, simply because I'm not sure he understands how a gimmick like that gets over with crowds.

As a side note, I've been clamoring for him to go full heel for over a year now, but I just remembered something: Cody was one of the most boring in-ring heels I've seen in the last decade. Now, he could be better at it these days, but if not, he's in a really bad spot. He'll turn and end up as something akin to a more resented QT Marshall rather than, say, 97 Bret Hart (which is what I'd imagine he thinks his heel turn would be like). At least Cena could be a great situational heel when he decided to work like one.