6 Ups & 2 Downs From AEW Rampage: New Year's Smash

3. Cody Rhodes' Heel Tendencies

Rampage was a banner night for Rhodes too.

Cody's new t-shirt shows that he's neither 100% heel nor 100% babyface right now. That's fine, although AEW will have to pull the trigger on a rogue run at some stage. There's too much potential there to ignore that forever, and Friday night proved it. Rhodes is real good at playing the cold-hearted git.

The way he exposed Ethan Page's knee for some more abuse on his wounded leg, then eyeballed the live crowd whenever they flipped between cheering and booing him, was awesome. Cody is starting to embrace this 'is he nice or is he naughty?' direction. Finally! It's working way better for him than pretending he's still some cherished baby.

AEW's fanbase wanted to see a different side to Rhodes, and they're getting it. Nobody can whinge about matches of this quality that are laced with foreboding. Cody managed to get heat without blowing his character's load prematurely, and that should be commended.