Highlights
- Raw is now WWE’s biggest show with Cody Rhodes as the face of the brand.
- The upcoming draft will determine if Cody or Damian Priest moves to SmackDown.
- Roman Reigns is no longer the top star and Cody Rhodes is the new face of WWE, ushering in a new era.
WWE recently announced that the annual Draft will be returning soon, with the SmackDown portion happening on April 28, followed by Raw on May 1. With Cody Rhodes finally finishing his story at WrestleMania 40, and now holding the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, which was held by Roman Reigns on SmackDown, it makes sense that the American Nightmare would move to Friday nights, while Damian Priest would rule Mondays with the World Heavyweight Championship. Cody Rhodes has spent his entire WWE return on Raw, but with SmackDown about to no longer be WWE’s biggest show, the new face of WWE needs to stay right where he’s at.
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Cody Rhodes WWE Accomplishments: |
1-Time Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, 2023 & 2024 Royal Rumble Winner, 2-Time Intercontinental Champion, 8-Time Tag Team Champion |
Cody Rhodes Beat Roman Reigns For The WWE Championship At WrestleMania 40
Damian Priest Won The World Heavyweight Championship
- Cody Rhodes is the face of WWE Raw
- Raw now has the WWE Championship and World Heavyweight Championship
- Will it be Cody Rhodes or Damian Priest who leaves Raw for SmackDown?
Cody Rhodes may have been booed in AEW, but his reception in WWE has been the exact opposite. Since he arrived at WrestleMania 38 in 2022, Cody has been the face of Raw, even more so than Seth Rollins, and was arguably only second to Roman Reigns on SmackDown company wide. With Reigns as a part-timer, the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship felt hijacked, leaving Raw without a title to fight for. Still, Monday nights were exciting because Cody Rhodes was there.
WWE was shaken up at WrestleMania 40. Not only did Cody beat Roman for his title, making it a championship that will be defended regularly again, but Seth Rollins lost his World Heavyweight Championship, first to Drew McIntyre, then to Damian Priest, who cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase on McIntyre. Raw has two world titles, which means, in the upcoming draft, either Rhodes or Priest is going to SmackDown. With the World Heavyweight Championship having been a Raw only title so far, you might think that means Priest is staying and Cody’s leaving, but that’s not what should happen at all.
How Cody Rhodes Vs. Roman Reigns 2 Became The Best WrestleMania Main Event Ever
The first time they met was a disappointment, but the second matchup between Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania was an amazing moment.
WWE Monday Night Raw Is Moving To Netflix
SmackDown Is Going Back To The USA Network
- Raw was WWE’s A-show for decades
- SmackDown became WWE’s most popular show when they went to FOX
- Raw’s Netflix move happens right before WrestleMania season
Raw was created in 1993, six years before SmackDown came to be. Raw has always been WWE’s A-show, but that changed in 2019 when SmackDown went to FOX. Being on network TV opened them up to a higher viewership, and for the last five years SmackDown has beaten Raw in the ratings, making it the A-show now.
If SmackDown is the most popular show, then that’s where Cody Rhodes should go, right? That would make sense if not for the fact that SmackDown is about to become the B-show again. Beginning in October, SmackDown is leaving FOX to return to the USA Network. That automatically means that the blue brand will have fewer viewers. Then there’s the fact that Raw’s home will soon be shaken up as well, as they move to Netflix in January 2025, just in time for WrestleMania 41 season. While ratings won’t be counted the same after this, Raw will become the biggest show again because there are a whopping 260 million people worldwide with a Netflix account.
Cody Rhodes Vs. The Rock Is The Perfect SummerSlam Main Event
After the confrontation between The Rock and Cody Rhodes on Raw, a future showdown between these two megastars is likely to happen at SummerSlam!
Cody Rhodes Is Now The Face Of WWE
WWE Needs The Most Eyes Possible On The American Nightmare
Roman Reigns is no longer the face of WWE. Arguably, with how infrequent his appearances are, he hasn’t been the top star in a while now. Cody Rhodes was already the most popular, but at WrestleMania 40 he was officially crowned as the new face that runs the place. WWE is in a new era, doing the best business in its history thanks to the creative leadership of Paul “Triple H” Levesque and the soaring love fans have for Rhodes. He’s a babyface like the company hasn’t seen in decades and WWE is building around him. To do so, they need to let him shine on the biggest stage possible.
Moving Cody Rhodes to SmackDown could be a fun shakeup, but it’s not the best option for him, no matter who is drafted where or what dream matches may present themselves. SmackDown is about to have fewer viewers and on a platform, cable television, that continues to shrink drastically. Raw will become the biggest show in January, and not only will it have more viewers, but it will also be getting more attention due to the newness of a WWE show being on Netflix of all places. SmackDown will feel like it’s stuck in the past, while Raw will become the cool thing attaching itself to the future of how we watch TV. What better home is there for Cody Rhodes, the cool new megastar who is the future of WWE?
