5 reasons why Cody Rhodes is the new lightning rod in wrestling
Cody Rhodes joined AEW as one of the anchors of the company. The Elite's Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks were lauded for their phenomenal in-ring performances, while the American Nightmare brought the promo and character work in spades. This gave All Elite Wrestling the best of both worlds in the early days of the promotion.
In 2019, many fans and pundits considered Cody Rhodes the biggest babyface in the business. However, the past year has seen a change in the reaction to the son of the American Dream. Since losing the TNT Title at the end of 2020, his storylines have been a mixed bag. From facing celebrities like Shaquille O'Neal to a mini-feud with QT Marshall, the term "Cody-verse" was coined in 2021.
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Rhodes capped off his year with a victory over Sammy Guevara to become a three-time TNT Champion. This has only increased the chatter among fans about this complex character who portrays a good guy, but is booed everywhere the company goes. In this article, let's take a look at five reasons why Cody Rhodes is the new lightning rod in wrestling.
5) Cody Rhodes on reality TV has changed his image
The debut of Rhodes to the Top, immediately following Dynamite, was watched by 422,000 viewers on average and 227,000 18 to 49 (0.17). It ranked #16 on cable for the day.
In the demo, male-female split was 67-33, compared to Dynamite's 74-26.
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At the start of AEW, Cody Rhodes captured the old everyman vibes of his father Dusty. This year saw Cody have to divide his time from the squared circle to some outside ventures and life situations. Last year, Cody Rhodes left for a couple of months to film the first season of "The Go Big Show" on TBS Network.
His hiatus helped give pathos to Brodie Lee's TNT Championship victory over Cody. Rhodes, however, dealt with a lot more matters than this one television show.
Cody debuted his new reality show this year with Rhodes To The Top on September 29th on the TNT Network. The show focused on Cody and Brandi's roles in AEW, the birth of their first child and their interactions with the Rhodes family. This furthered the divide between Cody Rhodes and the fanbase.
These outside ventures and the transition into reality television have altered the perception of Cody Rhodes to the fans. A man who was once relatable, that was now a shell of his former self to the audience. This has caused individuals who once cheered for the American Nightmare to turn their backs on him.