12 WWE Nightmares That Could Come True In 2026

It’s easy to forget amidst the fanfare of his retirement tour that John Cena once played before regular jeers, or that Roman Reigns was once booed out of buildings weekly despite being babyface. Consistently maintaining a strong connection to the audience as a babyface is difficult, and that's why Cody Rhodes deserves immense credit; he's done a remarkable job of sustaining popularity as a face.

Surely that’ll change eventually.

WWE and Cody himself might need to leap before they're pushed on that, or face the consequences by looking reactionary rather than proactive once boos start raining down. On a recent episode of SmackDown, Rhodes addressed his Crown Jewel match with Seth Rollins and leaned into some comedy, but there was a subtle heel air to the way he carried himself (and not for the first time).

This was either pure coincidence or Cody spots danger lurking ahead. He's no fool. Rhodes is a student of the game (so to speak) who understands all too well that wrestling audiences are fickle. He used to be one of those yay-ing/nay-ing punters himself whilst watching his father and brother do their thing at shows, so he has valuable experience on both sides of the barriers.

A heel turn before that Cena/Reigns-style 'go away' heat becomes prevalent would be best. Sadly, wrestling rarely realises that things need to change before fans do. How long can Cody's babyface status survive before change is essential? That's the question, one that must've dominated countless WWE creative team meetings over the past 3 years or so.

No-one wants to see Rhodes get booed when he's supposed to be getting cheered. Not after this epic run.