Cody Rhodes returned to the WWE, according to reports, to reclaim his name and win a world championship to honor his father, since Dusty never won one.
It’s sparked some talk online about how long he’ll be the focus as Vince McMahon’s new shiny toy. It’s happened many times before when Vince signs someone new or a former talent, gives them a push, then lets them fall into invisibility.
But there could be a way around that for Cody as the WWE needs to treat him like a top star, a rock star, if they want to entice more people from AEW to sign with them.
So there’s every chance Cody could be a major player beyond the typical two month window many talent are given before they fall out of favor.
Dutch Mantell spoke about this on his Instagram account @Dirtydutchman1 and gave his estimation at six weeks.
Built to last?
“My concern about Cody Rhodes going back to WWE. He’ll be a big deal one week, two weeks, and the third week he is slack. Then the fourth week Rhodes will just be fading into the background.
“By the sixth week, all the buzz is gone and he will be just another guy. That’s what I fear. Because that’s what they have shown us as what they can do.
“Cody is not anywhere near the star his daddy was.
“I don’t think he’s anywhere near the star his brother was. I think he’s a good addition, but I really do not see him moving the needle at all.”
Dutch then asked for fans’ thoughts and for civility as it can be a charged topic and the replies were a mix of agreeing and disagreeing, with most of the disagreements hinging on Dustin Rhodes.
Wherever we fall in that debate is our own personal opinion, his shelf life is one we’re curious in.
After debuting like a returning hero on Raw where he was welcomed with a largely quiet fan reaction, we’re curious if he’ll be given the chance to win fans over.
His modest approach doesn’t come across. In fact, he comes across as arrogant more than not.
We said near the beginning of AEW that we thought he would be the next Ric Flair to AEW’s version of the Four Horsemen but that never materialized.
If he and the WWE switch up their approach and he becomes more arrogant and pushes the boundaries, Cody could become one of the best in the world.
A great example of this is Roman Reigns. Fans were tired of having him shoved down our throats as a face, and when he turned heel as the Tribal Chief he took off.
Sometimes, it’s all in the creative approach. Do you think Cody has a shelf life or will the WWE push him for the long haul? Let us know in the comments below.
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