WWE legend explains why Cody Rhodes did not turn heel on SmackDown (Exclusive)
Although Cody Rhodes is among WWE's top good guys right now, some fans have called for The American Nightmare to turn heel. In an exclusive interview, WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry gave his take on why his former co-worker continues to portray a babyface.
On the May 31 episode of SmackDown, AJ Styles re-enacted Henry's 2013 fake retirement speech before attacking Rhodes. The storyline led to an "I Quit" Match at Clash at the Castle, where Rhodes retained the Undisputed WWE Championship.
Sportskeeda Wrestling Senior Editor Bill Apter questioned whether the SmackDown star could have attacked Styles and turned heel at that moment. However, Henry believes that would not have been a good long-term decision for the company:
"It would have been something for a little while, but the wrestling business is not founded on a little while. Every time that you went with the cheap pop, it backfired. You gotta stay the course, tell the stories the way the fans like to tell stories." [11:50 – 12:08]
Watch the video above to hear Henry reveal how he felt while watching the Rhodes and Styles segment live on SmackDown.
Mark Henry is invested in Cody Rhodes' WWE storyline
On April 7, Cody Rhodes defeated Roman Reigns at WrestleMania XL to win his first WWE World Title. He was also involved in a high-profile rivalry with The Rock heading into the event.
An avid reader, Mark Henry explained how wrestling storylines sometimes take the same twists and turns as comic books:
"When you are used to reading stories, you can almost tell what the story is gonna do, but you can't wait to get to the end anyway. No, I've never done it [read a comic book back page first], I've never done it. When I watch wrestling, that's what I'm looking for, to be hooked. For the story to be in so far that I lean in. I'm like, 'Ah, shoot, come on, man.' I'm behind the characters and the players. I love the business and the storytelling is the thing that moves me the most." [12:18 – 13:06]
Henry also speculated on how Rhea Ripley will react to Dominik Mysterio and Liv Morgan's recent developments when she returns from injury.
What are your thoughts on Cody Rhodes possibly turning heel? Hit the discuss button and let us know.
Find out more information about Mark Henry's Be ReMarkable Brand and the Strong Kids program via themarkhenry.com.
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