WWE fans have a short memory sometimes and have seemingly forgotten that it was Seth Rollins who kayfabe injured Cody Rhodes following their war at Hell In A Cell. Perhaps the worked nature of The American Nightmare's injury has allowed the company's followers to sway back towards the side of Rollins. Then again, it's tough to imagine anyone cheering Austin Theory at this juncture, and the ongoing feud between him and Seth has essentially turned Rollins face. No one, not even Chris Jericho, is serenaded on the way to the ring similarly, and it can be argued that no one in the business is getting better reactions than Rollins right now.
That could lead to tricky booking choices for Triple H once Rhodes is healthy and able to return. When Rollins was working as a heel, a ready-made story awaited Cody following his surgery. His coming back, running through walls to get his hands on The Visionary, made all the sense in the World. Cody Rhodes would be framed as a hero who fought through a brutal torn pectoral muscle, while Rollins would be the coward who exasperated that injury. Professional wrestling is funny sometimes, however, and now Seth is getting some of the best face reactions in WWE. That probably wouldn't have been in the cards if not for Rhodes' untimely injury.
What's Next For Cody Rhodes If It Isn't Seth Rollins?
WWE couldn't simply glaze over the issues between Rhodes and Rollins. It'd be very un-Triple H-like for things to play out that way, as he doesn't have Vince McMahon's penchant for conveniently ignoring the past. If the goal is to keep Rhodes a baby face—and it feels like turning him heel would be a monster missed opportunity following a career-defining showing at Hell In A Cell—then WWE would need to get creative. One possible out could be the draft, which Dave Meltzer recently reported is still being discussed. If Triple H respects the brand split, and stars from one show stop appearing on the other, then keeping Cody Rhodes and Rollins apart for the foreseeable future wouldn't be too difficult.
If an extension of the Rollins feud isn't in play for Rhodes, what's on deck for the former AEW executive? Roman Reigns' path to WrestleMania 39 has reportedly been all but decided, leaving a program for the undisputed championship likely on the outs. Other top stars such as Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, Drew McIntyre, and Sheamus are also tied up in the ongoing Bloodline saga. WWE wouldn't necessarily need to have planned all the way to The Showcase of the Immortals for Rhodes, but now, there might not be a clear-cut way for him to ease his way back into the company. That makes the timing of his torn pectoral even more brutal since he was getting tremendous reactions. It seems unlikely that Triple H would keep a player of Cody Rhodes' caliber on the bench for long. It's just that his feud with Rollins has likely evaporated since Seth has been turned face.
Rumors continue to swirl that WWE will have Rhodes return at the Royal Rumble. If he makes it to the final four of that match and gets knocked out by someone like Gunther or Theory, that could set him on the path toward a title match at WrestleMania 39. It's just odd even to wonder what'll be on tap for Cody when he returns because finishing the program with Rollins seemed like a slam dunk just a month ago. He's worked heel before while in AEW, but again, this isn't going to be a character anyone will want to boo. An angle where Rhodes is upset that the audience forgot about him would come off as trite and wouldn't have any legs, given how much time he spent away in the first place. Figuring out a fresh role for Cody Rhodes in the coming months will be a test for Triple H, and it'll be interesting to see how he goes about reinserting The American Nightmare into WWE programming.