The latest interaction between The Rock and Cody Rhodes has sparked a lot of discussion, but not necessarily for the right reasons. While WWE’s goal was clearly to set the stage for a major storyline heading into Elimination Chamber and WrestleMania, the segment itself felt forced and unnatural.
For those who missed it, The Rock approached Cody Rhodes with a proposal. In exchange for Cody’s loyalty as WWE Champion, The Rock would open doors for him beyond wrestling, offering bigger opportunities, more exposure, and a pathway into Hollywood. But there was one major catch: The Rock explicitly told Cody, “I want your soul.” Rhodes was visibly unsure of how to respond and now has until Elimination Chamber to give The Rock an answer. But should he even need time to think about it?
To understand why this doesn’t make sense, we need to look at both men’s motivations. The Rock is clearly bitter. His long-anticipated WrestleMania match with Roman Reigns was derailed because of Cody. That frustration has fueled his “Final Boss” persona, and now, rather than challenging Cody outright, he wants to control him. This isn’t just business. This is personal. The Rock sees Cody as the guy who took his spot. That part of the story works. But the execution? That’s where things fall apart.
The biggest issue is that we haven’t seen The Rock and Cody develop a meaningful relationship. Just a few weeks ago, The Rock had no involvement in Cody’s story. Suddenly, we’re supposed to believe they’ve buried the hatchet and that their families are close? The Rock hasn’t been around enough for this to feel earned. That makes his offer feel hollow. Even worse, Cody didn’t immediately shut it down. This is the same Rock who nearly stole his WrestleMania moment last year, and yet Cody is standing there actually considering his proposal?
Let’s be real. If someone looks you in the eye and says, “I want your soul,” that’s an instant red flag. This isn’t Shang Tsung from Mortal Kombat. You don’t need weeks to decide whether or not to gift your soul to another man. The fact that Cody didn’t reject it on the spot makes him look naïve rather than heroic.
Even if we ignore the way the segment played out, The Rock’s offer doesn’t align with Cody’s character. He’s not a guy looking for Hollywood success. He’s not someone desperate for outside opportunities. Cody’s entire journey has been about one thing: becoming WWE Champion. He has that now. He has a thriving career, a loving family, and everything he ever fought for. So why would he even consider selling his soul for something he never wanted in the first place?
If for example, The Rock had made this offer to The Miz, it would make perfect sense for him to consider it. Miz thrives on entertainment opportunities and Hollywood exposure. But for Cody, it just makes him look foolish for not immediately rejecting it.
What’s most frustrating about this is how rushed it all feels. Triple H has been praised for his long-term storytelling, but this feels like a desperate attempt to insert The Rock into WrestleMania at the last minute. Ideally, this angle would have played out over months, with The Rock slowly manipulating Cody and planting seeds of doubt. Instead, WWE hot-shotted the story, making it feel unnatural and inconsistent. There’s some history between these two, but not nearly enough to justify what we saw.
Before we conclude, here are some fan reactions from when I shared this piece on our Facebook page:
- Some believe this adds well-needed storylines heading into WrestleMania 41.
- Others want Cody Rhodes to accept The Rock’s offer and turn heel, feeling he has been poorly booked and needs something interesting.
- Many think The Rock is only inserting himself into the story at the last minute and that WWE didn’t need him this time.
- Some suggest this was planned all along, but the execution feels more like Vince McMahon and Stone Cold Steve Austin’s questionable alliance at WrestleMania X-Seven.
- A few have drawn religious comparisons, seeing The Rock as playing a devil-like figure.
- Some don’t mind as long as it generates conversation and debate, which they see as a win for WWE.
- Others believe The Rock may not mean Cody’s literal soul but struggle to define what else he could mean.
- One fan pointed out that Cody has changed since becoming WWE Champion, something Kevin Owens previously mentioned, and this segment reinforces that idea.
- Many have compared this to Vince McMahon’s failed attempt to make Stone Cold his “Corporate Champion” during the Attitude Era.
There’s still time to course-correct, but Cody needs to recognize what’s happening sooner rather than later. It’s hard to feel sympathy for a babyface when the entire audience sees the trap unfolding before he does.
So what do you think? Does this story make sense to you, or is Cody being set up to look foolish? Let us know your thoughts!
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