6 WWE stars Cody Rhodes could feud with if he turns heel

Cody Rhodes recently revealed that a potential heel turn in WWE could be on the horizon. He's played the valiant and heroic star since he returned to the company in 2022, but a heel turn in the veins of John Cena could really shock the world.

If Kevin Owens can recover from neck surgery, he'd be the perfect foil for a heel Cody Rhodes. The American Nightmare completely ignored Owens' feelings when he teamed with Roman Reigns at Bad Blood last year.

Several simply labeled The Prizefighter as delusional despite four years of torment and assaults from Reigns and The Bloodline.

Owens isn't likely to return before the end of the year. If Rhodes does turn heel before the end of 2025, he could feud with the next six WWE stars.

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#6. Revisiting a Phenomenal feud

A well-used booking tactic that WWE always uses is to have stars feud multiple times during their careers. One turns heel, and the other turns face to refresh the angle.

That could happen with AJ Styles and Rhodes, who battled over the Undisputed WWE Title after Rhodes won it at WrestleMania 40. Both are from the Atlanta, Georgia area and could use that in another go-around.

It would be a feud worthy of a title, but it is strong enough to stand on its own due to the caliber of each performer.

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#5. Drew McIntyre is out with an injury

Drew McIntyre crossed paths a few times with Rhodes during his recent title run. The Scottish Warrior chose not to get physical, instead acting as a shoulder to lean on.

The Scottish Warrior also pointed out how some of Cody's actions, like how he initially handled things with Owens, were a bit hypocritical. Despite all of his vicious attacks and words for his opponents, McIntyre never truly turned on the fans.

That's the true sign of a heel - lambasting everyone. The former WWE Champion is great on the mic, and the two could have a great feud over the past and present.

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#4. The Best in the World vs. The American Nightmare

It's no secret that CM Punk and Cody Rhodes are going to feud at some point. Both even teased a potential feud on a recent episode of SmackDown. They've crossed paths too many times since Punk returned to WWE for it to be random.

The main angle was over the Undisputed WWE Title, but now it's Punk who's pursuing it. The American Nightmare could let his frustration boil over and blindside The Straight Edge Star at some point.

Their verbal exchanges alone would be worth the price of admission. He could even align with The Rock to oppose his one-time friend since The Best in the World has been highly critical of The Final Boss.

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#3. Sami Zayn has been on the same side as Cody Rhodes

Rhodes was able to finish his story by winning the world title that had eluded his family. Sami Zayn has been a friend and ally in several of Cody's feuds since returning to WWE.

The Underdog of the Underground has not had the same booking as his friend. Since both portray overly heroic stars, a heel turn would be a great move to shake things up.

Both have been critical of those who don't do things the right way, so that would be easy to feud over. If it leads to a title win for either, that would amp things up, especially if Zayn remains a hero without a championship.

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#2. Jey Uso's rise in WWE paralleled Cody Rhodes'

Much like Sami Zayn, Rhodes has been allied with Jey Uso for the last three years. He helped Jey move to RAW after he left The Bloodline, and the two stars won tag team gold.

Jey also reached the top of the mountain this year when he won the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania, but if Rhodes turns heel, he can play the creator role. Without his pull to get The YEET Master to RAW, he may never have won the title.

Fans still love The Yeet Master, whether he has a title or not. The best feuds often stem from one person turning against another. There's also the fact that Rhodes defeated Jey to make the finals of the King of the Ring tournament.

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#1. Turning on his friend and mentor would be unexpected

It seems like if anyone will turn heel within the next month, it could be Randy Orton. While he can attack heels and faces, The Viper is better as a remorseless Apex Predator.

This year's King of the Rings finals will be the first time Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton will stand across from each other as opponents in a decade. They share years of history, and Rhodes turning instead of Orton would be a huge shock. Cody and Randy have to have a heated feud before the latter retires.

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Edited by Jeevak Ambalgi