In a recent interview with Inside The Ropes magazine, Cody Rhodes gave a rare glimpse into what his original WrestleMania 40 plans might have been—and it’s left fans wondering what could have unfolded if WWE hadn’t made a last-minute pivot.
Despite Cody Rhodes winning the Royal Rumble for the second consecutive year, and seemingly securing his spot in the main event against Roman Reigns, there was a moment of uncertainty. Just days after his victory, Rhodes appeared on SmackDown and, shockingly, seemed to relinquish his title shot, giving the impression that The Rock would take his place. Fans were thrown into an uproar, and over the following days, backlash against the decision grew louder with “We Want Cody” trending on social media.
WWE took the outrage very seriously and decided to keep the original match between Rhodes and Reigns. The Rock, meanwhile, was incorporated into the show but as Reigns’ tag partner rather than his opponent to face Rhodes and Seth Rollins. This shift, while still memorable, has left fans questioning what the original plan for Cody at WrestleMania 40 was if The Rock had been set for the main event.
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While Rhodes had an idea about what exactly had been planned for him, he did tease that if fans knew the truth, they’d be even more angry. Cody kept the details under wraps, leaving the WWE Universe to speculate on what might have been.
Decoding Cody Rhodes’ Original WrestleMania 40 Plans
What could the original plan have been for Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 40? Let’s explore a few potential scenarios:
1. A Triple-Threat Match for the World Heavyweight Title: Cody Rhodes could have challenged Seth Rollins for his World Heavyweight title along Drew McIntyre in a triple threat match. Drew won the men’s elimination chamber match which also gave him an opportunity to earn a title shot. Then at WrestleMania, Drew could have pinned Seth Rollins to win the championship leading to Damian Priest cashing his money in the bank contract to become the World Heavyweight champion. On the other hand. Cody could have once again left without a title at WrestleMania which would have upset and anger the fans.
2. Facing Logan Paul for United States title: Cody Rhodes could have challenged Logan Paul for his U.S. title at WrestleMania 40. This could have been incredible match considering the in-ring capabilities of both the superstars. But, going for a mid-card championship after winning the Royal Rumble match would not been great personally for Cody Rhodes as well as the fans.
3. Facing Solo Sikoa and Challenging the Winner of Rock/Roman match: Cody Rhodes could have faced the Bloodline member, Solo Sikoa, at WrestleMania 40. He could have saved his championship opportunity for later to face the winner of the Rock and Roman Reigns match for the Undisputed WWE Universal championship. This make sense but would have definitely upset the fans.
While the specifics of Cody’s original WrestleMania 40 plans remain a mystery, one thing is certain—fans are glad WWE pivoted and gave them the match they wanted: Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns in the main event.
