Over the past few years, Cody Rhodes‘ heroic rise as the new face of the WWE has been the highlight for the promotion. From making his return at WrestleMania 38 to ultimately defeating Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40, Rhodes’ journey has been incredible.

What made The American Nightmare’s story so engaging to the audience was the fact that he felt different from everyone else in the WWE audience. While this is in some way Rhodes’ strength, there are surely some aspects on which he can further work on.

Strength: Being Over With The Kids

The North Carolina Native Is Adored By The Younger Audience

• Rhodes is WWE’s current top merchandise seller.
• He was also among the top-five sellers at Fanatics.

Ever since re-signing with the WWE back in 2022, Rhodes has felt like the natural successor to what John Cena was to the promotion. Over the decades, the Stamford-based promotion has many times relied on an immensely popular individual to be the face of the company, especially those who are popular with the younger demographic, such as Hulk Hogan and John Cena.

However, following Cena’s departure as a full-time talent, WWE failed to find the person to take over the role, especially since Roman Reigns was never fully embraced by the audience until his heel turn back in 2020.

Weakness: Lack Of Fresh Promo Content

Rhodes’ Struggle With Delivering Novel In-Ring Promos

• Rhodes’s promo style takes inspiration from his father, Dusty Rhodes.
• Rhodes has been a babyface since jumping from NJPW to AEW.

While there is absolutely no denying that Rhodes is one of the better workers with the mic in the WWE, the content he has been given to speak has started to feel a little monotonous.

This is because ever since signing with the then McMahon-owned promotion in 2022, almost every promo Rhodes has done has either relied on how important the WWE Championship is to him, or a mention of his family. It seems about time for Rhodes to refresh his promo material.

Strength: His Larger Than Life Character Presentation

Rhodes Surely Knows How To Display His Persona

• Rhodes started wearing the red and blue robes in 2021.
• The look was not received well by the AEW audience.

For every professional wrestler, their looks play a huge role in how the crowd perceives them. This has led to many individuals getting unique attires, but has not gotten close to the aura Rhodes has generated.

The inaugural AEW TNT Champion initially got booed at the Tony Khan-owned promotion due to his “home lander” inspired outfit. However, the attire has been a massive success since his move to the AEW and has helped him emerge as this larger-than-life character.

Weakness: Him Getting Over Exposed On WWE TV

The 2024 Royal Rumble Winner Gets Way Too Much On-Screen Time

• Rhodes had the highest number of WWE matches in 2023.
• He also has been the most featured star in 2024.

One of the biggest reasons the AEW audience turned on Rhodes was perhaps him being over-exposed on television. Fans would see him being involved in multiple top storylines at the same time, which ultimately meant his screen time was higher as compared to the rest of the audience.

The same has been the issue since he won the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 40. There are many weeks when he has to pull off a double duty by being on both Raw and SmackDown. Moreover, Rhodes’ never ending feud with the Bloodline also means that he has to fulfill his commitments as the Champion while constantly being a part of the Anoa’i family vortex.

Strength: His Deep-Rooted Wrestling Heritage

The Co-Founder Of AEW Is A Member Of The Iconic Rhodes Family

• Rhodes is the son of The American Dream, Dusty Rhodes.
• He is also the half-sibling of The Natural, Dustin Rhodes.

Over the past decade, the pro wrestling industry has seen many individuals burst onto the scene who were either first or second-generation superstars. However, none of them have been able to live up to their legacy like Rhodes did.

He has made his heritage a major part of his on-screen character, which has indeed paid off in some great storyline moments. In fact, it has even provided Rhodes with some genuine character motivations, which many others lack today.

Weakness: He Is Becoming “Too Nice” Of A Character

Rhodes Has Started To Walk On The 2006-Esq John Cena Path

• In October 2024, Rhodes teamed up with Roman Reigns after years of rivalry.
• This led to Kevin Owens turning on him.

While there is absolutely no denying that Rhodes is the face of the WWE at this point, with him by far getting the loudest reactions, it has started to feel to fans that his focus on being a full-fledged babyface has made his character seem ignorant.

Rhodes has recently started to feel like a one-dimensional character. For example, him teaming with Roman Reigns at the Bad Blood PLE makes him look selfish in the grander scheme of things, and hence justifies the heel turn of Kevin Owens. In the long run, this might affect Rhodes’ popularity within the more mature audience.

Strength: His Old School Themed Wrestling Styles

Rhodes In-Ring Work Is Inspired By The 80s NWA

• Rhodes takes inspiration from the wrestling styles of Dusty Rhodes, Ric Flair, and Arn Anderson.
• He also considers Sting to be his favourite wrestler of all time.

In an era when many wrestlers rely heavily on rehearsed high-flying spots and maneuvers, Rhodes has certainly found a way to once again make himself stand out.

This is due to the 2-time Royal Rumble winner incorporating an 80s style into his in-ring work. Over the years, Rhodes has mastered the art of old-school storytelling merged with modern-day athletics, which the audience has loved, to say the least.

Weakness: Cross Rhodes Has Become A Weak Finisher

Rhodes Might Be Needing A New Climax For His Bouts

• Rhodes’ finisher, Cross Rhodes, is a variation of the Rolling Cutter.
• He has been using it since his time in Ohio Valley Wrestling.

For any professional wrestler, their finisher is a valuable part of their in-ring arsenal. This is because, for many fans, a match is only as good as its finish, and that highly depends on the signature moves of those involved.

Over the years, many wrestlers have been protective of their finishers, such as the likes of Baron Corbin and Kenny Omega. Unfortunately, the opposite has been the case for Rhodes. His finisher, Cross Rhodes, seems like one of the weakest moves in the modern-day landscape, as these days Rhodes mostly needs to perform the move three times to secure the victory.

Strength: His Iconic Theme Song

“Kingdom” Has Played A Major Part In Rhodes’ Success

• His theme song “Kingdom” was produced by Downstait.
• He has been using this song since leaving the WWE back in 2016.

For a professional wrestler, their entrance theme song is just as important as anything else. Over the years, many wrestlers have been able to win over the audience merely because of their themes, such as the likes of Bobby Roode and Shinsuke Nakamura in NXT.

The same has been the case for Rhodes, whose entrance music has been generating one of the largest crowd reactions at every show he is at. Moreover, it also allows his character to feel natural, since he has been using the song in other promotions too, like AEW, NJPW, ROH, and the independent scene.

Weakness: The Regrettable Neck Tattoo

Fans Have Hated The Ink Since Its Reveal

• Cody first revealed the tattoo at AEW Revolution 2020.
• It is a portrait of his “American Nightmare” logo.

Easily the most controversial decision by Cody Rhodes throughout his career has been that of getting a neck tattoo. The decision was met by backlash from fans at the time and, unfortunately for Rhodes, public opinion still has not changed.

The ink on Rhodes’ neck seems like a distraction every time it is visible on television and takes away from the profound character work the former Stardust has shown for the past decade.