Barring a fan revolt of biblical proportions, Cody Rhodes isn’t turning heel.
Ever.
At Saturday Night’s Main Event, Rhodes engaged in a chaotic brawl with Jacob Fatu that prevented their match from officially starting.
Ironically, the night before on SmackDown, Rhodes took a jab at Fatu for being unable to control himself. Yet when Fatu showed restraint in response to pleas from security and officials, Rhodes attacked him from behind several times.
Later, Rhodes spat a drink in Fatu’s face to blind him,
taking an unfair advantage. As security tried to back him off, he battered them with trash cans.
All this came on the heels (no pun intended) of Rhodes shaming Fatu on Friday for mistakes the Samoan Werewolf made in a past life, and a month after telling SmackDown GM Nick Aldis that he works for Rhodes.
Yet fans continue to cheer him, and that likely won’t change anytime soon.
Despite the questionable morality of “The American Nightmare,” the segment was masterfully orchestrated. Instead of a traditional match, fans saw a wild encounter that set the tone for the show.
Above all, neither man took a loss, and the involvement of Drew McIntyre at the end almost assures that Rhodes and Fatu will turn their attention to McIntyre and away from each other, preserving their status as fan favorites.
And so once again, Cody Rhodes, the good guy who does and says bad things, remains wrestling’s white knight. If the public can’t see through the cracks in his persona’s facade, they likely never will.
