Cody Rhodes to turn heel on 12-time WWE champion after what happened on SmackDown this week? Exploring the potential

On SmackDown, the buildup towards Night of Champions continued with Cody Rhodes, Jey Uso, Sami Zayn, and Randy Orton sharing the ring for a segment. Orton and Zayn had their semi-finals match, and The Viper picked up the win.

Next week, Rhodes and Uso will face off to determine who goes to the finals at the premium live event in Saudi Arabia. However, WWE used visual storytelling to drop hints about what may come next week, and it has to do with The American Nightmare.

On the show, Rhodes was scheduled to address the fans regarding his upcoming match with Uso. Unfortunately, before he could say anything, Mr. Yeet came out, and the fans went wild.

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After Yeeting and doing an encore, the former WWE Champion cut his promo. It was humble and respectful, giving Rhodes the credit he deserves. Soon after, Zayn’s music hit, and he came out to cut his promo. Finally, The Viper entered and stated his business.

Fans were shocked, and they debated on social media about The American Nightmare not being given a chance to say anything. Many fans also pointed out that Rhodes was unhappy during the segment, with a look of disappointment on his face as the men cut their promos.

Despite being a babyface vs. babyface match, many have speculated that the former Undisputed WWE Champion could turn heel on Uso.

Fans have been waiting for Cody Rhodes to turn heel for a long time and embrace a 'Homelander-esque' character, which is yet to happen. This heel turn will add a great dynamic to his rematch against John Cena for the title, which could take place at SummerSlam. But right now, these are just speculations.

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The main reason behind WWE not turning Cody Rhodes heel

WWE has always had a major issue with turning the biggest babyface heel. The best example was John Cena, who never turned heel during the Vince McMahon era.

The same has been seen with Cody Rhodes and Uso, despite making sense from a storytelling perspective. After getting betrayed by The Rock and losing his title, The American Nightmare should have turned heel, and the same can be said about Uso.

However, this would impact the company on a large scale since both men are massive draws for the younger demographic. With a heel turn comes heel merchandise, promos, and in-ring work that could drive these fans away. After all, numerous instances have suggested that WWE seems to be more worried about its revenue rather than telling a great story in 2025.

Edited by Arsh Das