Cody Rhodes to turn heel and introduce 59-year-old WWE icon as new manager at SummerSlam? Exploring the possibility

SummerSlam 2025 is on the horizon, and the match card is getting stacked with a number of exciting bouts already announced, including Cody Rhodes’ WrestleMania 41 rematch against John Cena for the Undisputed WWE Championship. The clash is set to be a Street Fight, and both men have signed the contracts for the main event of The Biggest Party of the Summer.

The Franchise Player tried to back out of the match last week on SmackDown by revealing that he was set to miss SummerSlam this year. Cena stated that he was mentally and physically exhausted with all the action and also had to film a movie with Netflix, which led to the difficult decision. However, Rhodes then unleashed a brutal assault on The Last Real Champion and forced him to sign the contract while the legend was unconscious, making the bout official.

This was likely a massive hint at a potential Cody Rhodes heel turn, which has been speculated by the WWE Universe lately. The American Nightmare has teased a turn on a number of occasions now, and the switch could finally happen in the main event of SummerSlam itself, making headlines around the world. If that comes to fruition, Rhodes could potentially introduce 59-year WWE Hall of Famer Paul Heyman as his new manager at The Biggest Party of the Summer.

Rhodes could further take over the entire faction, which was initially led by Seth Rollins, to add a massive twist to the story during The Visionary's hiatus as he recovers from his knee injury. This could end up being an incredible heel turn for The American Nightmare, opening up a plethora of new possible storylines for the future.

However, it must be noted that while there is a possibility of the above angle playing out, for now, it is mere speculation. Only time will tell what the Stamford-based company has in store for the star next.

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WWE veteran addressed a potential Cody Rhodes heel turn at SummerSlam

While the world has been talking about a potential heel turn for Cody Rhodes, WWE veteran Vince Russo also addressed the same in a recent edition of The Coach And Bro Show.

The former head writer for WWE stated that the company would benefit from a potential Rhodes heel turn at SummerSlam:

"I've said this all along with Cody Rhodes, he always had this air about himself of being better than everybody else. He's a heel. I've said that from day one. And who knows, if they actually make that adjustment, maybe that's exactly what they [WWE] need to turn the creative around, because I feel Cody has been miscasted as a babyface from day one. So, if Cody leans into it as a heel, this may be exactly what they need…So, I'm hoping for a reset. This would be a huge reset if they did the double turn [at SummerSlam 2025], and maybe this is exactly what they need," Russo said. [From 27:45 to 29:58]

Check out the video below for Russo's comments:

Cody Rhodes’ heel turn seems to be on the horizon and could end up being one of the most surprising ones in history. Fans will have to wait and see what WWE has planned in the weeks ahead.

Edited by Sayantan Niyogi