Cody Rhodes Potential WrestleMania 42 Opponent Already Planted Heel Turn Seeds

WrestleMania 40 told the story of Rhodes going from 'undesirable to undeniable' when he defeated Roman Reigns to win the WWE Championship. This was his mission: 'finish the story' and claim the title that eluded his late, great father, Dusty Rhodes.

The emotional story took WWE into the mainstream by blurring the lines between kayfabe and reality. Creative was forced to pivot from The Rock challenging Reigns because of fan backlash, which made clear that Rhodes was the new face of the company.

Rhodes' first reign saw him hold the belt until WrestleMania 41 before dropping it to Cena so that the Greatest of All-Time claimed his 17th world title. How quickly a year changes: the roaring success and buzz of Mania 40 contrasted with the controversial and damaging finish to Mania 41.

Fans watched Rhodes and Cena try to click in back-and-forths, but the latter's heel character lacked credibility. Of all the American Nightmare's tense exchanges in the world title picture over the years, only one has come close to his epic Bloodline drama with Reigns.

CM Punk seemed a frontrunner for a world title match at Mania 41 until WWE decided to hand the Royal Rumble win to Jey Uso. The Best in the World could have been Gunther's challenger, but the story, the chemistry and the face-off between himself and Rhodes felt worthy of the Road to WrestleMania.

CM Punk's Story Still To Be Finished

There are many interesting subplots surrounding a potential WrestleMania main event between Rhodes and Punk. They both exited AEW in an unceremonious fashion; they both left WWE under frustrating circumstances; and both are now viewed as potential heirs to chief content officer Triple H.

"It’s funny that we meet back here. Really. When we were at AEW, I thought we would encounter one another there. It didn’t happen. For whatever reason, it didn’t happen" - Rhodes on Punk's return (via Royal Rumble post-show press conference).

Rhodes finished his story at Mania 40, and he is now running through sequels —some good, such as his Kevin Owens feud, and some bad, such as the letdown of his Cena war. But what about Punk and his 'story' since hell froze over at Survivor Series in November 2023? The Best in the World reached the top of the mountain at SummerSlam, defeating Gunther, only for Rollins to cash in and ruin his World Heavyweight Championship moment.

Punk may well get a hold of that title before next year's Mania, but it's the WWE Championship and Rhodes whom his story truly revolves around. You could hear a pin drop when the pair met for a conversation ahead of the 2024 Royal Rumble as they teased their 'friendship' being ripped apart for the desire to become champion.

They have delved into one another's backgrounds, such as Rhodes' father Dusty asking Punk to keep an eye on his son. The Second City Saint spoke of his pride in watching him sacrifice and succeed on his own.

One comment that stood out through their segments has been Punk asserting that Rhodes took advantage of 'wrestling royalty' while he had to earn his way to the top. He may well have become a five-time WWE world champion, but he was never showcased as the top superstar in the business like Rhodes, Cena, or Reigns.

WrestleMania 42 is Punk's time, main eventing on night two to truly fulfil said dream of headlining the Show of Shows. A win over Rhodes doesn't just see him claim the title from the biggest babyface but symbolises overcoming 'nepotism' as he triumphs over WWE's new chosen golden boy.

How CM Punk Stabs Cody Rhodes 'In The Front'

Punk recently insisted that his two years back in WWE are the best period of his career, and feuds with Drew McIntyre and Rollins justify that claim. He put on one of the greatest Hell in a Cell matches in history at Bad Blood in late 2024 and has continued to thrive against any opponent.

The 46-year-old has often been the better man in any rivalry since his return, but he made clear to Rhodes that his world title aspirations outweigh their friendship. Cena's heel turn was a shocker that was reportedly planned for WrestleMania 41, but such a moment at the Showcase of the Immortals should lead to Punk dethroning Rhodes.

Punk told Rhodes on the Road to WrestleMania 41: "The bad news is that somebody is me. Unlike all these other people, your 'friends' stabbing you in the back, I'm gonna win the Royal Rumble and I'll see you in the main event of WrestleMania. And because I'm your one true friend, I'm gonna stab you in the front."

That quote is fitting for them to square off at Allegiant Stadium this year and could be a potential teaser for how Punk could plot getting the win. There have been many plot devices used in the duo's storylines over the past year, including Punk's bracelet.

Triple H gifted Rhodes a Rolex after his Mania 40 win, and it is a replica of the one his father pawned to fund Cody's acting career. Perhaps Punk's line about stabbing Rhodes in the front comes without Avenger-esque interference, as past Mania main events have gone down.

Instead, his fire to take down WWE's 'Quarterback 1' sees him resort to a dishonourable act, such as striking the champion with said Rolex. If either of the two men is to turn heel, it should be the challenger, and Rhodes hinted in an interview after the 2024 Royal Rumble that fans had initially been a "general 50-50ish" before moving to "70-30" in his favor when they went one-on-one in the Rumble.

This could be how their main event is told: Punk becomes frustrated by losing the fans, and we watch him slowly struggle to keep his villainous side in check. Tying in the story told between the pair and Dusty only further makes the heel turn that much more impactful.