As wrestling fans begin to cool on Cody Rhodes, the likelihood of a heel turn may be on ice.
Allrecipes announced Wednesday that Drumstick is releasing a limited-edition frozen treat inspired by “The American Nightmare.” The new Red, White, and Blueberry sundae cones hit Walmart exclusively on April 6.
Beyond the cheeky wordplay to be had with Drumstick and Rhodes’ nickname, “Raheem,” the partnership drives home a cold reality: Cody isn’t turning heel any time soon. And it is likely why Randy Orton,
not Rhodes, went rogue ahead of WrestleMania.
Last Friday on SmackDown, Orton violently attacked his longtime friend during a contract signing for their Undisputed WWE Championship match at WrestleMania. As Rhodes lay bloody, fans chanted for his betrayer, not him.
Such reactions have prompted Rhodes to acknowledge the recent boos and embrace becoming a polarizing figure. Now, as the face of a new product, a double turn with Orton at Mania seems unlikely.
As audiences go off-script when it comes to Rhodes, WWE has chosen to stay the course with its “Golden Boy.” It’s not about to overhaul one of its most marketable stars to appease a few boos, though they’re growing louder, as changing a character tied to corporate sponsors isn’t something that happens overnight.
That explanation likely won’t satisfy those who believe that the era of babyfaces and heels in wrestling has gone the way of the VCR. However, WWE’s brand deals say otherwise.
Cricket Wireless, TurboTax, and Slim Jim almost exclusively feature babyfaces in their ads. In a rare move, WWE’s Minute Maid campaign sees Rhodes, Jey Uso, Rhea Ripley, and Bianca Belair joined by Dominik Mysterio — a bad guy, but one fans have slowly been warming up to.
While rooting for heels has become more acceptable, most brands aren’t ready to have them pitch products to kids and families.
For the foreseeable future, the WWE Universe is stuck with the current iteration of QB1. But if a “Rocky Rhodes” frozen treat ever hits stores, fans might finally see a Cody so evil it could send a chill up their spines.
