INSANE Wrestling Fan Backlashes You Didn't See Coming
8. Cody Rhodes Is Turned Heel
Cody Rhodes was so over in 2019 that he, more than long-term project Hangman Page or even Kenny Omega, the man whose blistering futuristic style elevated the very ceiling of critical acclaim, was the preeminent fan favourite of AEW.
He anointed himself as the face of the revolution, and his spellbinding change-the-world rhetoric and incredible, timeless babyface selling got him over to that level. Decades passed by without much of anything meaningful, real-feeling or interesting happening in the U.S. mainstream.
Cody was nothing less than the answer to your prayers.
So what happened?
The star who must win more than he lost to remain a star was criticised for winning a lot of matches, weirdly. Victories over Penta El Zero Miedo and Lance Archer furrowed some brows. He might not have helped himself with certain super-powered match finishes, and his admirable attempts to go all out - the frequent blading, the tearful retirement teases, the setting himself on fire - scanned to some as desperation. He had been replaced as the main character when, in contrast to his own situational heel TNT title run, Hangman Page's emotional redemption arc cast him as the top babyface.
Those fans were also spoiled by the arrivals of CM Punk and Bryan Danielson, by which point Cody was working inscrutable midcard programmes with about five different wrestlers with no believable association at once. His match at Full Gear 2021 was just bizarre.
Cody left, shockingly, and became the most focused - and best - version of himself.