Steve Carrier on February 18, 2026
Cody Rhodes is explaining exactly why he hasn’t turned heel in WWE — despite several months of speculation and even public support for the idea from The Rock.
After months of speculation fueled by The Rock’s public support of a potential heel turn, Cody himself has finally addressed the situation. While WWE previously made it clear that a heel turn wasn’t the current plan — even with The Rock pushing the idea — Rhodes has now given insight into his own mindset.
Speaking on the February 18, 2026 episode of What Do You Wanna Talk About?, Cody explained that staying a babyface is a challenge he actually enjoys right now.
“I feel right now I like the challenge of being a babyface because it seems almost impossible some nights. It’s easier to be cooler. I really admire Logan Paul’s situation. He could fall flat on his face and it’s no big deal. He can be mad at the crowd.”
Cody acknowledged that being a heel can be more fun and creatively freeing — but he believes there’s still value in playing the traditional hero, especially with WWE’s core audience.
“I think sometimes there are elements of being a heel that are a lot of fun, whereas being a white-meat babyface—where you’re trying to be virtuous and make the right choices—that’s not always the most appealing thing by modern entertainment standards. But when you look at our ticket-buying audience—kids and families—there’s room for it.”
He also pointed out that babyfaces come in different forms, referencing stars like LA Knight and Jey Uso, but made it very clear that he enjoys the difficulty of his current role.
“There are different types of babyfaces like LA Knight and Jey Uso. I like the challenge of it, but that’s because it’s hard.”
Still, Cody didn’t completely shut the door on a future turn. In fact, he admitted that bringing back his darker edge could eventually be something he needs — even if he doesn’t realize it yet.
“I think if we ever transition and the heel comes back out, that might be something I need in my life and don’t realize it. Just from the sheer, ‘Let’s go out there and have fun.’”
He closed by pointing out the difference in pressure of being WWE’s top good guy with the relative freedom of being a heel.
“I feel there’s a lot of pressure in the babyface spot. But as a heel, it’s more like, ‘Let’s just go have some fun.’ We’ll get it when we get it. You can dictate the pace.”
For now, Rhodes is sticking with the white-meat babyface role, fully aware of how difficult it can be — and embracing that difficulty rather than running from it.
Do you think Cody Rhodes should turn heel in WWE, or is he right to stay the top babyface? Drop your thoughts below and let us know where you stand.
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