Holding the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship doesn’t automatically make you the face of the company, but that’s exactly what Cody Rhodes wants to be.
Of course, there’s a very big obstacle in his way at WrestleMania 39 in the form of Roman Reigns, who has maintained his iron grip on WWE’s two biggest men’s titles for quite some time. It will be a huge moment, unquestionably the biggest of Rhodes’ career to date, if he emerges with a victory in Los Angeles.
Yet even though a win at WrestleMania would “finish the story” in terms of Rhodes’ personal journey, he’s also keenly aware it would also be the start of another one. Has he allowed himself to imagine what life would be like as WWE Champion?
He has indeed, and as he recently told Fightful, he knows exactly what kind of champ he’d like to be.
Like the song ‘Kingdom’ says, ‘I’ll follow you till the end.’ When is the end? Is the end when I win the WWE Undisputed Universal Championship, or is the end when I win that title and then take it every single place I can possibly take it and excel and deliver on a level that no champion has done in years? I want to cut a schedule like Bret Hart, like Ric Flair. I want to do something very different than modern champions have done, where there’s a bit of a ‘less is more’ schedule. I want a ‘more is more’ schedule. It would mean vindication for me, for sure.
While that could be interpreted as a bit of shade thrown toward the likes of Reigns or Brock Lesnar, Rhodes’ status as the biggest pure babyface in pro wrestling means that’s unlikely to be the case. He likely understands the school of thought that the top dog in the company can be showcased as a special attraction with the aim of making every appearance more meaningful.
That’s just not the vibe that would fit Rhodes if he accomplishes his goal. You can expect that he’ll very much be everywhere, not only making the interview circuit but also appearing regularly on WWE TV after WrestleMania if he’s the champion.
“More is more” might not work for everyone, but it will suit the American Nightmare perfectly.