Cody Rhodes drops a subtle hint at facing Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40

WWE Superstar Cody Rhodes has shared a cryptic post ahead of this week's episode of Monday Night RAW.

After WrestleMania 39, the path for The American Nightmare toward the WWE Undisputed Universal Championship seemed evident. His goal was to fight back and earn another shot at the title. However, The Rock's return last week at RAW Day 1, teasing a feud with Roman Reigns, left many pondering what this would imply for Rhodes and his ongoing narrative of 'finishing the story.'

Rhodes recently posted a picture of Rocky Balboa's statue on his Instagram story, hinting at a potential comeback to challenge Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40. This gesture draws parallels to the "Rocky II" storyline, where Balboa initially suffered defeat against Apollo Creed but later made a comeback to secure victory in their rematch.

Cody Rhodes had previously talked about The Rock's return to WWE

Cody Rhodes shared his perspective on The Rock's WWE return after the latter's appearance on Friday Night SmackDown last year.

During an appearance on the Busted Open Radio a few months back, Rhodes confidently expressed his stance, stating that he wasn't backing down. While acknowledging the excitement of having The Rock compete at WrestleMania 40, he firmly asserted that The Great One wouldn't be in his spot.

"I don't care who it is. If that happens to be The Rock. If it happens to be anybody. [...] I mean that with the utmost respect. I wasn't shook at all by Rock's big day out. What I would say is: not flinching. If Rock is part of WrestleMania 40, that would be outstanding. It's The Rock. But I don't think he'll be in my spot," Rhodes said.

Given the multitude of potential scenarios, it'll be fascinating to see how things unfold as we approach wrestling's grandest event on the calendar.

Do you think Cody Rhodes will 'finish the story' at WrestleMania 40? Let us know in the comments section below.