Wrestling crowds are known to be unpredictable. Their reactions can often throw a wrench into even the best creative plans, especially if they decide to the "bad guy" and boo the "good guy". However, the best the go-home episode of Smackdown before WrestleMania 41, where he will face John Cena for the Undisputed WWE Championship.
After Rhodes entered the ring and grabbed a microphone, he was interrupted by John Cena, who proceeded to berate him, the crowd, and the entire WWE fans for ten minutes. It was as good and as entertaining as we have come to expect from this new heel version of Cena, and when it was Rhodes' time to get some words in, the Las Vegas crowd drowned him in boos. Contrary to what happened to Charlotte a few weeks ago, however, Rhodes did not lose his composure, and in the span of a couple of minutes, he performed a real wrestling miracle.
WWE Almost Ruined WrestleMania 41's Main Event at the Last Possible Moment
Getting the Crowd Hostile to Rhodes Could Have Ruined His Match With Cena
WWE was always walking on a very thin rope during this feud. While Cena's actions and words have been nothing but dastardly since he turned heel, his charisma, star power, and the realism he put into his performance always risked turning him into the "cool heel" that audiences want to root for. Add to the equation that he attacked some real weaknesses of the champion, such as his being "too perfect" and too constructed (a common criticism from fans), and it was very likely that, at some point, the crowds could turn on Rhodes.
This happened at the T-Mobile Arena on Friday night, but Rhodes reacted in the best way possible. He did not acknowledge the boos, and in exactly two minutes, he unloaded a fiery barrage of words on Cena. At the end of it, the crowd began to shift. The boos got weaker, and slowly but surely, a chorus of "Cody, Cody Rhodes!" erupted. In the end, the crowd was clearly and convincingly cheering for the champion, as it should be.
Cody Rhodes Proved He Deserves to Be the Man in the WWE
He Needed Just Two Minutes to Flip a Hostile Crowd
No matter what criticism you may have for Rhodes's championship reign, it's undeniable that the company is betting on him as the "face who runs the place." The reasons are easy to understand: Cody is marketable, he looks good, he has the work ethic, he can go in the ring and on the microphone, and kids (WWE's main demographic) love him. Being the top guy, however, is about more than that, and Rhodes proved it in those two minutes. He didn't say anything particularly shocking, but he maximized the time he was given. He didn't say many words, but they were all meaningful. He threw in a couple of jabs too, including a reference to Sting at Starrcade '97 (the second time that PPV has been paid homage to this week). Most importantly, the intensity and the delivery turned the crowd to his side again.
A lot could have gone wrong in that situation. Having your babyface champion drowned in boos the night after WrestleMania is usually not a good sign, as even the best match can be derailed by a hostile crowd. WWE also didn't help. By giving Cena 10 minutes on the microphone and Cody only 2, it's almost like they set the latter up for failure. Whether that was the case or not, he proved them wrong, showing the world why Cody Rhodes deserves to be the WWE Champion. Whether he will still hold that title walking out of WrestleMania 41, however, is a whole other matter.
