Cody Rhodes won the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 40 in one of the most satisfying triumphs in company history. While The American Nightmare and his fans can bask in the glow of that victory for a little longer, the question looms as to whom he’ll defend his title against.
WWE started to answer that question with a number one contender’s tournament that started on the April 12 edition of SmackDown. One has to assume that the first challenger won’t take the title off Rhodes, though. In fact, if Triple H’s booking has taught us anything, it’s that very long title reigns are not just possible, but likely. So who should try to take the belt off Rhodes in the months ahead? The good news for WWE and its fans is that there are quite a few compelling options.
Sheamus
There are a small handful of veterans on the WWE roster who may not be probable world champions in the immediate future, but who nonetheless will always be with a few weeks’ push of feeling credible in a main event spot. Fresh off a return to action, Sheamus is very much a part of that list.
After some time away, there’s a good opportunity to press the reset button Sheamus. Though early hints have him factoring into the Intercontinental Championship picture, he could quickly enough win a number one contender’s battle royal, tournament, or gauntlet to be repositioned for a good, heated feud with good matches against Cody Rhodes.
Gunther
While Gunther lost a major match at WrestleMania 40, he had one of those rare title reigns that was so remarkable it totally overshadows the way in which the reign ended. Gunther reigned as Intercontinental Champion for over 600 days, turning in more than his share of excellent matches along the way. There’s no question he’s credible now as a main event talent.
Gunther vs. Cody Rhodes is a natural rivalry if only for the patriotic underpinnings of Rhodes’s persona opposite Gunther’s ties to Austria. The safe money is on Gunther in one world title picture or another come Bash in Berlin this summer. While it would be a safer choice for him win the World Heavyweight Championship, there’s little question that Gunther vs. Cody Rhodes is about as big a match as WWE can book for that particular event.
Randy Orton
There’s a long history between Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes that includes The Viper mentoring a younger Rhodes, as well as the two clashing on no lesser stage than that of WrestleMania 26.
Orton and Rhodes have been positioned as allies since the former Superstar returned this past November, but there’s no shortage of history around him turning on his friends in storylines. Moreover, Orton has always been a natural heel and he’d pose one of the most credible challengers The American Nightmare could possibly have.
Bron Breakker
Bron Breakker had a long, celebrated run in NXT, most of which he spent at or around the top of the card. During that time, he established himself as a powerhouse wrestler who can work face or heel, has a reasonable charisma, and can carry his end of a very good match.
While there’s no shortage of fresh veteran opponents for Cody Rhodes in WWE, there is something to be said for taking on a young stud as well. Breakker has been mowing his way through squash matches on SmackDown and there’s a good case for keeping him strong for a brief run going up against The American Nightmare while both acts are hot.
Bobby Lashley
It surprised quite a few fans when WWE finally pulled the trigger on Bobby Lashley as a world champion in 2021. He’s had his ups and downs since then, but coming off a WrestleMania triumph and heading up his own faction once again, it’s not much stretch at all to envision him returning to the main event spotlight this year.
Bobby Lashley vs. Cody Rhodes is as an especially compelling matchup for the ways in which these two have just missed each other a couple times over between the timing of when each man arrived, left, or returned to WWE. Particularly as a heel, Lashley can always pose a credible threat. For Rhodes, efforts like his feud with Brock Lesnar demonstrated just how good he can be when he’s playing the underdog against a monster heel.
