Cody Rhodes is a throwback act that shouldn’t work, yet he has become the undeniable face of a new era in WWE and really all of professional wrestling. With his true rival, Roman Reigns, out for a while, it is a wide-open challenge predicting every PLE for Cody Rhodes through SummerSlam this year.
That iconic feud will almost certainly remain off TV until after the summer showdown. That means that WWE has some time to get creative and give Rhodes a fresh angle. Doing just that is essential as well.
If Cody’s title run revolves around the Tribal Chief and Final Boss’s schedule, it diminishes him somewhat. It also doesn’t do justice to the hero who has resonated so thoroughly with fans old and new. When one story ends, another begins.
The Cody Rhodes story deserves a chapter all his own, and during one of the company’s most popular time periods, it is the perfect time to do it.
WWE King and Queen of The Ring: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Logan Paul (WWE Championship Match)
With this match being confirmed already, predicting every PLE for Cody Rhodes through SummerSlam is at its easiest at this point. However, this match is also one of the most important. Paul and Rhodes are now official for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Gone is the original Champion vs. Champion stipulation, which is a smart move. Even with putting the United States Championship on the line, Logan Paul is still an excellent choice. The new era of Rhodes includes Paul, a celebrity turned WWE superstar.
A talent like Logan Paul would never have been signed, let alone made a prominent champion under the old regime. This intriguing matchup pits the “good and bad” of this highly online and streaming-centered WWE product against one another. Even without the double title stipulation to avoid, WWE must get creative with this particular match; there is a lot to consider with it.
Neither star can genuinely afford to look weak right now. However, at this point, Logan Paul doesn’t need to beat the world champion, and Cody Rhodes absolutely needs the win. This can be a disqualification win, in character with Paul’s recent string of less-than-dominant victories.
It isn’t hard to see an ending where Logan cheats, as usual, but this time he gets caught. Perhaps that “lucky punch” made famous at the Saudi Arabia event in 2022 returns. If the referee sees some brass-plated assistance, then the diligent WWE referee staff will need to give Cody the win.
With the final image being that of Logan Paul standing above the fallen Rhodes, the story can continue. The King and Queen of The Ring finals will provide enough excitement for fans to get over a less definitive finish to the Cody Rhodes match. The intrigue of the ending will help promote Rhodes and Paul squaring off again.
Clash at The Castle: Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton vs. Logan Paul and KSI
Like the show in Saudi Arabia, Scotland’s Clash at the Castle has plenty of matches that will give fans in the UK something to get excited about. Drew McIntyre and Becky Lynch are both probably getting big title matches. Likewise, Gunther and Raw’s rookie star and internet darling Ilija Draganouv could get an NXT UK rematch on a much larger stage.
With a stacked card, Cody Rhodes can take a short break from defending his title on PLE. Instead, he can continue his feud with Logan Paul by taking on him and his PRIME partner, UK celebrity KSI, with his mentor Randy Orton. Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton vs. The Prime Bosses of KSI and Paul sets up the Rhodes feud for the summer while involving a local (and international) celebrity guaranteed to get views from outside media outlets.
Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes are naturally going to face off. Still, the emotional pull of that feud requires a little more exploration of their past mentor-and-mentee relationship. A match with Paul and KSI gives them a chance to do that.
The match can be made no-disqualification, too, to hide any weaknesses that the admittedly green KSI may have. His taking increasingly interesting Cross Rhodes or RKO’s would pop the crowd both live and as they follow along on streaming. Win or lose, the post-match angle where “The Viper” strikes and makes his intentions clear for his old friend and former trainee is the real draw. It will be Cody’s first credible challenger in his title reign.
WWE Money in the Bank: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Randy Orton
Money in The Bank is becoming a more prominent event by the year, filling international stadiums and staging consistent, if not always remarkable, ladder matches. This year in Montreal will likely feel as big, and the international audiences will pack in as they consistently have for these shows abroad. Many of the promotion’s rising stars on that card will likely be locked into the titular bout.
So Cody will need an experienced foe, and a freshly turned Randy Orton makes sense for Rhodes. Orton doesn’t need this accolade and is not as credible as Mr. Money In The Bank. Instead, he can kick off his feud with Cody.
The two of them will finally get the clash that the fans have been craving since before Roman dropped his championship at WrestleMania 40.
Called it https://t.co/aA3cI7p7m9
— Randy Orton (@RandyOrton) May 6, 2024
Orton and Rhodes can put on an old-school WWE Championship match. The action might be slower at times, but it will be full of in-ring psychology. Orton will press his advantage as a ring veteran, multi-time champion, and the founder of the faction Legacy.
Rhodes can play into his role as a fiery young champion. He is the face of wrestling today, defending his spot against a stalwart from its past. They can batter one another with signature shots around the Scotiabank Arena.
Only after a thorough beating will Cody Rhodes pull out a gutsy but lucky roll-up victory over Orton. Earning a quick win that could easily have gone the other way will keep Orton credible for future interactions between the two for the top prize in WWE. Keeping the title on Cody here will make sure he feels untouchable as a champion for just a little longer.
Honorable Mention “Smackdown 1300”: Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton Discuss Their Legacy
A family rivalry decades in the making needs more than a single chapter. Cody Rhodes’ story has been one of legacy—that of his father, his family, and his own. Legacy is a big concept to cover in the confines of a professional wrestling ring.
One of the most successful times it was utilized was when Rhodes and Orton teamed together. On a special episode of Friday Night Smackdown, the brand that Orton helped develop early in his career, he and Rhodes must prepare for battle again. With the two of them having a contract signing, they can discuss their journies.
Both men rose well beyond that of their family. In both of their cases, the men were guided to success under the tutelage of experienced veterans. Each has been the face of WWE, Cody in this new era, and Orton as the chosen champion of The Authority.
When the time for talking is over, Cody will make his point and become well-acquainted with the contract table and the three most destructive letters in WWE: R-K-O.
Much like Clash at the Castle, the interaction is secondary to the aftermath. Also, like at that PLE, WWE’s resident maverick will become a thorn in both their sides. Logan Paul is already a top contender to win at Money in The Bank and between then and SummerSlam.
Likewise, LA Knight is on the path to dethroning the influencer for his United States Championship. That allows Paul to cash in and win the World title ahead of SummerSlam in his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. In the wake of Paul’s ascendency, fans get a marquee main event.
The biggest wrestling show of the summer gets a tale of three champions. It gets a match about wrestling then, now, and forever.
SummerSlam 2024: Logan Paul (c) vs. Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton (WWE Championship Elimination Match)
Cody Rhodes will try to recapture his WWE Championship at the summer’s biggest show. To do it, he will need to defeat two of his biggest rivals from the past several months.
The cocky new champion Logan Paul is an irksome reminder of celebrity’s triumph over hard work. The veteran Randy Orton serves as a wrestling avatar for the concept of nostalgia over contemporary stars. With the contract having been signed by Rhodes and Orton for the SummerSlam main event (co-main event provided Drew McIntyre and CM Punk are feuding), the triple threat can be made official by Nick Aldis.
Logan Paul gets a moment with his hometown fans as WWE Champion, which is more than he needs to really elevate his heel persona. Cody gets a chance to dispatch two champions. Both have different styles, but Cody’s resume indicates he can match them both. WWE can give him momentum heading into the fall by doing exactly that.
The match will need to start faster, utilizing Logan’s athletic prowess and letting Rhodes match it with his own speed and ability. Once Cody Rhodes dispatches Logan Paul, he can go one-on-one with Orton again. He knows Orton, who taught him so much about the industry.
With Paul gone and a new champion guaranteed, they can go blow for blow as teacher and student once again. Rhodes matches with, and finally overcomes, his mentor for a clean victory in the center of the ring. Randy Orton can show Cody some amount of respect post-match, shifting him back toward the side of light.
WWE needs to maintain a strong bench of top faces on their roster. Likewise, Rhodes is the only interesting challenger for Orton currently. Cody can get another big match under his belt, and The Rock or Roman Reigns might just be ready to come out by the end of that show.
That would make their intentions for the recently crowned champion known and reignite the feud that developed all of this interest in WWE.
The Complete Case for Predicting Every PLE For Cody Rhodes Through SummerSlam
The Cody Rhodes title win is an incredible moment in WWE history. It was not, however, universally beloved. The way he earned it made his win a little messy. This gave plenty of fans cover to critique his run as soon as it began.
Equally tricky is following up on one of the most incredible runs in wrestling history. Cody needs to have his path, one that isn’t so directly linked to his predecessors either by way of their direct involvement or indirect comparison. His losing and regaining the title, dispatching of a future Hall of Famer and a future main eventer, will solidify his time as the top guy of today.
If WWE follows it, this path might even work better than a lengthy title run. It certainly carries less risk of Rhodes losing the fan support he did earn in April. It also directly addresses what his more veteran challengers have suggested: that perhaps this title is too heavy for Cody Rhodes.
With that seed safely planted, fans will have the great joy of repeatedly watching him prove them all wrong.
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