4 Mistakes Triple H has already made with Cody Rhodes’ second WWE Title reign

Cody Rhodes reclaimed the Undisputed WWE Championship by defeating John Cena at SummerSlam 2025, embarking on his second reign. However, The American Nightmare's second run with the title hasn't been as strong as his first.

WWE's Chief Content Officer, Triple H, hasn't positioned Rhodes as dominantly as he was after beating Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40. And in this listicle, we will look at four mistakes The Game has already made with him.

4. His win over John Cena was overshadowed by Brock’s return

Cena and Rhodes' bout at WrestleMania 41 was panned heavily by fans and critics alike for its slow pacing, as well as Travis Scott's interference towards the end. The two made up for their match at the Show of Shows this year by giving fans one of the best matches of the year at SummerSlam 2025.

Did The Rock's "Final Boss" run hurt WWE? Watch Here!

Rhodes reclaimed the title after an incredible bout, but Brock Lesnar's return to WWE overshadowed his victory. Fans were left talking about The Beast and Cena after the show, rather than his title win.

3. His feud with Drew McIntyre hasn’t felt big

Over the past few months, Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre have been feuding over the Undisputed WWE Championship. The two battled for the title at Wrestlepalooza, but Rhodes retained the title at the premium live event.

Despite McIntyre being a strong contender to take the title off Rhodes, their feud just hasn't felt big. There is no dearth of star power between the two, but their rivalry just hasn't been able to get fans hooked as deeply as expected. There seems to be no possibility of a title change, which is something that is surely affecting fans' investment in their storyline.

2. Randy Orton not pulling the trigger on a heel turn

Fans have spotted Randy Orton eyeing Cody Rhodes' Undisputed WWE Championship several times. There have been signs that Orton could feud with his friend for the title, but the company hasn't pulled the trigger on it yet. Delaying The Viper's heel turn for so long has seemingly killed the momentum of Rhodes' title reign.

A deeply personal feud with his mentor would have been enough to drive his second WWE Title reign through to WrestleMania 42. However, it has started to feel stale with the absence of an intense rivalry, particularly with Orton, since fans have been eagerly waiting for the two to feud for a long time.

1. Cody Rhodes is approaching only his second defence in 3 months

The American Nightmare will defend his title against Drew McIntyre once again at Saturday Night's Main Event, in what will be just his second defense since reclaiming the gold. Rhodes' storyline with McIntyre was briefly interrupted by his Crown Jewel Championship program with Seth Rollins, further derailing his momentum as the WWE Champion.

With only his second title defense in three months, Rhodes' title run doesn't seem as strong, since he is expected to be a defending champion. Perhaps a title change could be what WWE needs to reset things and give Cody Rhodes a new challenge.

Make Sportskeeda your preferred choice for WWE content by clicking here: Source preferences

Edited by Arsh Das