Cody Rhodes Shuts Down Heel Talk: “My heart wouldn’t be in it.”
Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes isn’t interested in going to the dark side—at least not now. On his What Do You Wanna Talk About? show while interviewing Becky Lynch, “The American Nightmare” addressed the year-long speculation about a character turn and made it plain: “I don’t have any interest. I don’t know if I could do it—I don’t know if my heart would be in it.”
Rhodes has been WWE’s standard-bearer babyface for roughly three years, and though he’s typically kept a “never say never” stance, this is his clearest dismissal yet. Lynch echoed the sentiment, calling Rhodes both on-screen and off “a great energy to be around,” and wondered aloud how fans could realistically boo him given the person behind the character.
Why it matters
Cody’s presentation—big-match aura, community work, and a white-meat champion who invites sing-along entrances—continues to pull strong crowd reactions and merch. Turning heel just to “freshen things up” can backfire when the audience still wants to cheer.
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- Business fit: Rhodes is a sponsor-friendly flagship champion. As long as arenas keep singing his song and the merch tables keep spinning, WWE has little incentive to flip him.
- Creative alternatives: If freshness becomes a concern, expect edge-adding rather than a full turn—harder promo tones, moral gray areas in big title programs—without breaking what works.
- When a turn makes sense: Only if fan sentiment turns or a betrayal angle with an A-list rival promises massive upside. Until then, the babyface blueprint stays intact.
What’s next
Look for Cody to double down on legacy-driven title defenses and marquee promos—more “fighting champion” than “mustache-twirling villain.”
