Niners Fan in CT Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 19 minutes ago, The Idiot King said: I like Cody. I think he seems, by all accounts, like a really nice guy (if kind of a goof -- but that's wrestling for you) and he put on one of my favorite matches of 2022. But to say he isn't a safe choice is a bit of a stretch. He's over (probably the most important thing in any angle), is politically and media savvy, he's a dynastic wrestler (so his theme song tells me) and he is doing a, hmmm, I don't know quite what to call his gimmick, but it isn't NOT blonde superman. He'll kill it on the talk show rounds. All credit to Cody for his spot! He is my favorite mid-carder! He will be a good champ. But you know who else would have been good on the talk show rounds and was over? Big E. And well, y'know... My critique is purely from a story-telling standpoint in terms of what the WWE does, and how it functions. I don't think the way they operate is very conducive to interesting or exciting stuff, no slight to Cody and his -verse. Nothing truly evolves, nothing truly changes. So, it just rubs me the wrong way when WWE is getting heaps and heaps of praise for a story that ultimately didn't pay off because of the constrictions of fat wads of cash. They fumbled the third act because that's just how it works in this world -- there is no wiggle room for anything out of the norm, even if it serves the story better. There are a million meta-business-reasons why you wouldn't put the title on Sami, but not many good ones if what you aim to do is tell a good story. My point is that ultimately, there is only one story in WWE, no matter who fills the Cody role, and that isn't much fun. See and again I completely disagree because 5 years ago WWE saw nothing in Cody at all and here he is.. so how can you say nothing changed ? As far as Sami goes, do you believe he was slated to face Roman Reigns at Elimination Chamber 5 or 6 months ago? Pretty sure they completely changed whatever tentative plan there was to give Sami the ball these past few months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niners Fan in CT Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 5 minutes ago, EVA said: Cody is a handsome, muscular, over 6-foot white guy who interviews well. He’s as safe of a pick as it gets. He’s practically WWE’s platonic ideal for a Mania main eventer. Cody was all of that 5 years ago. He worked his way up to where he is now in a very unique and id say unprecedented way. He was never hand picked. So this whole argument comes down to some people just wanting a guy to be the face of the company who isn't athletic and handsome ? I just don't get the argument here.. why people all of a sudden have an issue with Cody. And hotshotting titles has always been something that irks me. Roman is on a 900-day run, you might as well pay that off at WrestleMania. I mean that's the point of WrestleMania.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVA Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 I’m really unclear on what your point even is right now. But to say the Cody of 2023 isn’t a safe pick for a Mania main eventer is just wild. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobra Commander Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 Turns out that bleaching his hair was the thing that Cody needed to really get over with WWE decisionmakers (I'm pretty confident he didn't do that until he left the WWE). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niners Fan in CT Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 3 minutes ago, EVA said: I’m really unclear on what your point even is right now. But to say the Cody of 2023 isn’t a safe pick for a Mania main eventer is just wild. Where did I lose you? Cody was a jobber. Your whole point is oh no nothing ever changes with WWE.. it's always their hand picked guys.. Cody was not that. He's where he is because he bet on himself after they told him he was never rising above Midcard. He was 6 feet tall and handsome in 2015. Nobody gave a shit. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobra Commander Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 Wrestlemania 39 would be a lot more boring if Ted Dibiase Jr ended up founding AEW and returning to the WWE to win the title his deceased father never won, while Cody Rhodes ended up fading out of the business before stealing money from TANF with Dusty, Dustin, and Ricky Williams (or whoever the Dustyverse equivalent of Brett Favre is) Cody and Ted Jr were tag champions almost 15 years ago, and i'm sure some people thought Ted Jr was gonna be a bigger deal than Cody during the 2010s. Having just watched a 2012 Cody match... yeah, let's just say that his presentation has improved quite a bit since then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elizium Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 2 minutes ago, Cobra Commander said: Having just watched a 2012 Cody match... yeah, let's just say that his presentation has improved quite a bit since then. It was all smoke and mirrors back then 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobra Commander Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 I totally don't remember much of the Cody Rhodes/Hardcore Holly tag team. Also, Hardcore Holly really hasn't tried to cash in on nostalgia too much since leaving the WWE, has he? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Idiot King Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 25 minutes ago, Niners Fan in CT said: See and again I completely disagree because 5 years ago WWE saw nothing in Cody at all and here he is.. so how can you say nothing changed ? As far as Sami goes, do you believe he was slated to face Roman Reigns at Elimination Chamber 5 or 6 months ago? Pretty sure they completely changed whatever tentative plan there was to give Sami the ball these past few months. I hear you, and I don't want to make it sound like there are never audibles called at any step along the way. We've seen that! It's just, again, that it always reverts to the mean. They are unwilling to invest in using their ability to shape narratives to create non-traditional stars that are born from that story-telling. They don't have faith in the story over the demands of the market. It's scared money. Which, again, is fine. I am not in charge and I do not want to be, but to pretend that this allows for a dynamic range in the kind of stories they tell and to use Cody as an example doesn't really hit with me. Cody, at this point, is a safe bet. Cody has done good work in getting to where he is, and he was absolutely doing nothing at the bottom of the mid-card for years before he took it into his own hands. He will be a "new face" holding the belt. But none of it is through WWE's doing, really. None of it is really about the story, so much as capitalizing on a story the guy already made for himself. It's like Google buying Youtube and being like, "Look what we made!" If they brought in Kenny Omega and he beat Roman Reigns, I would probably feel about the same (though at least he's small and flippy and wants to kiss Kota Ibushi). The WWE story with Cody is that he is marketable (which isn't a bad thing!!) and that he got way more over someplace else and now he's back in the red white and blue and he's gonna beat Roman Reigns. Ta da. Nothing wrong with that. I just don't like being snowed by the internet that this is as good or compelling of a story as the one they already had on their hands, which they ultimately COULD NOT capitalize on because of how the WWE (or any large entertainment company) operates. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John from Cincinnati Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 17 minutes ago, Cobra Commander said: I totally don't remember much of the Cody Rhodes/Hardcore Holly tag team. Also, Hardcore Holly really hasn't tried to cash in on nostalgia too much since leaving the WWE, has he? Oh right, Cody lost the tag title to himself, who was winning the tag title from himself. What a legend. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odessasteps Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 Imagine how over he would be now without the stupid tattoo. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVA Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 (edited) 2 hours ago, Niners Fan in CT said: Where did I lose you? Cody was a jobber. Your whole point is oh no nothing ever changes with WWE.. it's always their hand picked guys.. I never said anything like this. Which is why I’m confused. You’re countering an argument that doesn’t exist. Edited February 22, 2023 by EVA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John from Cincinnati Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 2 minutes ago, EVA said: I never said anything like this. Which is why I’m confused. You’re countering an argument that doesn’t exist. Someone else he's responding to said it and he's taken your engagement in the conversation as you taking on the views of everyone else he's bickering with. Like usual. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuerrillaMonsoon Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 (edited) I'd go with: - Jey costs Roman the title to Cody at Wrestlemania. - Cody comes out the next night on RAW and basks in the feel-good story that the crowd *willed* to happen, amongst a crowd chanting for Sami instead. Cast Cody as the delusional heel who thinks he too has had a Daniel Bryan moment, when he's actually the villain. He turns on Sami and beats him down to end the show. You could even do a short program where he tells Kofi that he overcame the same prejudice, odds and discrimination that he did at Wrestlemania, and how alike they are. - Have Sami chase Cody till Summerslam where he finally wins the big one. In the interim, you either have Roman and Jey settle their differences, or you have Roman return at the end of Summerslam, and challenge Sami. In this version, you still have Cody win the main event as planned, Roman and Jey continue as need be, and if Sami is as hot as believed, you can carry it all the way till summer, and still have bullets left with Sami/Roman rematch or Sami/Jey. Edited February 22, 2023 by GuerrillaMonsoon 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheVileOne Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 Cody Rhodes in 2016 two months before he left WWE. Seven years ago, Cody was a D-level midcard guy. Now he's the safe choice and the A+ player. Now he is what is best for business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobra Commander Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 Roman's probably more likely to be the face challenger to Cody at Summerslam than Sami Zayn. As for Cody fantasybooking. Feels like there's some mileage to not immediately turning Cody, but maybe having Kevin Owens challenge Cody first. Then if Owens gets cheered over Cody, have Cody get annoyed at the fans who didn't back him. Kinda feels like Sami would need to be on a side mission to be feuding with Cody for 4 months before they wrestle. Now, if we wanna overbook, a multiman match involving Sami/Cody/Roman post-WM where Sami pins Roman, but it takes so much out of him that he's easypickings for Cody, who just doesn't understand the people unhappy with his victory. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belgian_Waffle Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 (edited) What about Cody winning at Mania with Heyman's help and he turns heel immediately and starts his own Bloodline and we just reuse this storyline for another 2+ years so we can all argue about this again in 2026 Edit: Cody's Bloodline would be Heyman, HHH, Shawn, Flair, Randy Orton, Taker and Goldberg Edited February 22, 2023 by Belgian_Waffle 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobra Commander Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 Pretty sure you can't faithfully do the Cody Bloodline unless Dustin and Arn return to the WWE to be his Brisco/Patterson. But yeah, Heyman+Cody feels like something that would happen in a scenario where you're getting Babyface asskicker Roman Reigns coming back to get revenge on Cody/Heyman. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belgian_Waffle Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 I think it's better without Dustin because you can have Terri Runnels and Heyman become a couple and it's like Dustin's version of Liz dating Flair Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ziggy Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 23 minutes ago, Cobra Commander said: Roman's probably more likely to be the face challenger to Cody at Summerslam than Sami Zayn. As for Cody fantasybooking. Feels like there's some mileage to not immediately turning Cody, but maybe having Kevin Owens challenge Cody first. Then if Owens gets cheered over Cody, have Cody get annoyed at the fans who didn't back him. Kinda feels like Sami would need to be on a side mission to be feuding with Cody for 4 months before they wrestle. Now, if we wanna overbook, a multiman match involving Sami/Cody/Roman post-WM where Sami pins Roman, but it takes so much out of him that he's easypickings for Cody, who just doesn't understand the people unhappy with his victory. The only way Cody is turning heel is if the fans just reject him, which is totally possible but if they haven't rejected him in favor of Sami then I don't see that happening for now. And Roman, I doubt he would volunteer to be a Babyface again unless it a post Survivor Series 95 Diesel type tweener. Sami during the press conference basically told us that they missed out by not having him go over on Saturday. Unless he takes the title off Roman, a title win won't be nearly as effective Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John from Cincinnati Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 Why are we fantasy booking a turn for a fresh top babyface in a company that’s seemingly needed just that for a while? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheVileOne Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 2 minutes ago, John from Cincinnati said: Why are we fantasy booking a turn for a fresh top babyface in a company that’s seemingly needed just that for a while? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John from Cincinnati Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 Don’t know why you decided to share a classic babyface promo with me, but I appreciate it. 3 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Go2Sleep Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 Just watched this and it felt like a letdown after the Rumble. The ending to the Rumble was some once-a-decade level heat and execution, and Elimination Chamber was... Just like any other WWE show. Roman/Sami was the same match Roman has been having for 2.5 years, main event ref bumps, babyface backup coming not coming out until after the heel gets the win instead of during the shameless cheating... I'm not 100% sure Sami should've won, but if this is supposed to be an "emmy" angle, you gotta do better than that. Brock getting DQ'ed was even worse face booking, but the stakes were lower, so it seems to have been mostly forgotten. Both chamber matches were alright. The women's was simple but effective. The men had some good spots and everyone taking their turns on Theory was fun. Finish was flat, but I'm always down to watch Logan Paul. If WWE is smart, Montez Ford will beat Theory in under 2 minutes at Mania. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 I was wanting Sami Zayn to win the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship while expecting Roman Reigns to retain. Sticking to safety. I was left deflated at the finish. Be interesting to see with time whether it was the right or wrong call. It was the right call that Drew McIntyre at Clash at the Castle didn't end this record breaking run. I'm thinking Sami Zayn should have won here in his hometown even though the biggest stage of all is WrestleMania where I'm still looking forward to Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes. I'm wondering though if WWE will try and get Roman Reigns to 1,000 days and end the WWE Universal Championship reign where it began at WWE SummerSlam 2020. Shame the long reign isn't with the belt that means the most, the WWE Championship with all that history and lineage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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