Cody Rhodes Defends Staying Babyface Despite Fan Demands for Heel Turn

Cody Rhodes is seen as a white meat babyface in WWE and many fans want him to turn heel. However, the American Nightmare has now defended his decision to remain a babyface in the company despite fan demands for a heel turn.

While speaking on the Bill Simmons podcast, Cody Rhodes was asked if it’s more fun to play a heel or babyface. He noted how most people say being a heel is more fun. Cody Rhodes said it’s because if you mess up a line or fall in the ring, you can still make it part of the show. Heels also usually control how the match goes, which gives them more freedom.

“Everyone’s going to tell you ‘bad guy,’ but I think that’s because they haven’t experienced what ‘good guy’ can really be. Bad guy is fun because you can fall on your face and make a spot out of it. Bad guy is fun—you can stumble on your words in a promo and make a moment out of it. Bad guy is fun because, traditionally, a bad guy leads the match.”

However, Cody Rhodes believes that being a true good guy or good girl is much more rewarding when the fans are genuinely invested. When people show up wearing your merch and holding up signs for you, it means something deeper. That connection is what makes it special.

There’s always been speculation around whether Cody Rhodes will turn heel. He understands that some fans might see him that way already but for him, the connection with those who supported him from the beginning is too important. That bond is not something he wants to change.

“But a good guy—or good girl—that they’re actually invested in? That they came for, they’re wearing your shirt, they’ve got signs? That’s something different. There’s always this argument, ‘Oh, Cody, turn heel. Will he turn?’ I don’t think so. They can boo all they want. If certain people decide, ‘Yeah, Cody’s a heel to me,’ okay. But I don’t think I’d ever turn, ’cause it’s just too much of a connection with those who were on board with me.”

The American Nightmare said it’s very hard to be a good guy in today’s wrestling. A while ago, fans stopped liking traditional “good guys” and preferred cool, edgy anti-heroes. TV and social media made that style popular. These days, bad guys often have the best jokes and strong online presence, which makes it hard for good guys to keep up.

Rhodes mentioned Jey Uso as a rare example of a good guy who truly connects with fans. But even for Jey, keeping that connection isn’t easy. Good guys usually get beaten up on TV and it takes a lot of effort to keep the fans interested in you as the underdog.

“I think it’s harder to be a good guy. That’s the thing. It’s harder. Harder to pull it off. For a while, they were extinct. They just wanted anti-heroes—edgy TV. TV and wrestling are always married.

Every heel out there has the best social media, the best one-liners that leave most babyfaces like, ‘D*** in hand, oh what do I do?’ You know what I’m saying? So to be a really good babyface, you have to rise above it. And that’s—that’s very hard.

Jey Uso—I look at him as probably a great example. So, so popular. And it’s not easy. It’s not easy to make that connection with them. And I feel like it’s even harder to keep it, because babyfaces get beat up a lot on TV.”

For Rhodes, being a babyface is a gift. He knows that people have short attention spans now. When fans start booing the good guy, many think it’s time for a change, but Cody Rhodes doesn’t agree. He calls that kind of situation an “away game.” And just like a sports team on the road, he sees it as a challenge to win them over.

“To me, it’s such a gift. Today, I feel like our attention spans are shorter. When they start booing a good guy, people think it’s time for a turn. No, no. To me, that’s just an away game. I always know, too. I know when it’s an away game. ‘Hey, we’re going into their arena tonight—it’s an away game.'”

This comes after fans have been constantly telling him to turn heel and even Rhodes made it clear his heel turn would be so extreme it would get him canceled. Regardless, Rhodes is more than happy being a babyface and that’s unlikely to change anytime soon.

What do you think about Cody Rhodes’ decision to stay a babyface? Do you believe there’s still room for pure good guys in modern wrestling? Sound off in the comments.

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