A post-match celebration at a recent WWE live event may have given a glimpse of how WWE could turn Cody Rhodes heel.
On Saturday, Rhodes teamed with CM Punk in Las Cruces, New Mexico, to defeat Gunther and Ricky Saints. Afterward, Rhodes carried Punk around on his shoulders before gently setting the Undisputed WWE Champion down on the second rope.
Rhodes seemingly had two chances to turn on Punk: falling backward
while Punk was seated on his shoulders or delivering a low blow while Punk had his back turned.
Though “The American Nightmare” didn’t pull the trigger, he still could.
Rhodes and Punk reunite this week to face Gunther and Sami Zayn at Saturday Night’s Main Event. With a streaming audience watching on Peacock, WWE has a chance to generate buzz and give SummerSlam a much-needed boost.
Last week, ticket tracker WrestleTix reported that SummerSlam had distributed just over 22,000 tickets for Saturday, August 1, and over 23,000 for Sunday, August 2. This year’s event takes place at Minneapolis’ U.S. Bank Stadium, with a seating capacity of at least 66,000.
That’s a big house to fill in less than three weeks. It’s especially concerning when Minnesota’s adopted hometown hero, Brock Lesnar, is prominently featured on the card, but ticket sales haven’t picked up. Turning Rhodes heel ahead of his SummerSlam title bid against Punk refreshes his character and gives WWE a creative jolt that could get fans stirring.
Assuming he and Punk emerge victorious at Saturday Night’s Main Event, a celebration similar to what fans saw in New Mexico could be the setup WWE needs for Rhodes to lower the boom on Punk and the wrestling world.
