Original Cody Rhodes Road To WWE WrestleMania 40 Plans REVEALED

There was once a plan to run a Cody Rhodes injury angle on the Road to WrestleMania 40.

The latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter contained a number of interesting details about the original plans for 'The American Nightmare' in the lead-up to and at 'The Show of Shows' itself.

As reported by Dave Meltzer in said Observer, Rhodes was actually informed in the fall that he would be facing Roman Reigns at 'Mania XL. So, in every interview and appearance he did up to the day of the Royal Rumble PLE, Rhodes was under the impression he would very much be facing 'The Tribal Chief' at 'The Showcase of the Immortals'.

But on the day of said PLE, Rhodes was then informed that The Rock was now in the Reigns match spot and he was out - though he'd still be winning the titular over-the-top-rope bout. The former AEW star was also told that he would be facing Reigns at a later point. So, all the post-match interactions building that contest wasn't a way of tricking fans, but building towards a match that would eventually go down later.

Meltzer also reported how very few were aware that Rhodes vs. Reigns had been scrapped for 'Mania 40 as Rocky wanted to keep his big SmackDown return a surprise.

But it was noted how even fewer were actually aware of a planned injury angle involving Rhodes that would have been a way to get him out of that potential Reigns/Rhodes showdown and Rock into it.

At that point, CM Punk was still set to win the Elimination Chamber and eventually challenge Seth Rollins at 'Mania. But Punk's legitimate injury, and the fact The Rock was never going to be wrestling in Australia for that Chamber PLE, forced another change of plan, with WWE then opting to run the Rhodes/Rock/Reigns angle seen on SmackDown instead - an angle from the mind of Paul Levesque. Rhodes was also going to make it clear that he wanted to face Rollins at 'Mania.

However, while everyone felt said angle went down well on the night, the eventual reaction on social media resulted in The Rock wanting to turn heel. That pivot would have left WWE in an awkward position of potentially having to "un-injure" Cody had they gone through with the original injury angle plan.

Meltzer also felt that the social media reaction to Rhodes getting injured on the February 2 show would have been just as bad, or even worse than the one that eventually went down.

It was also explained that the company still want a match between The Rock and Roman Reigns to go down at some point.

Put simply, a rather insane Road to WrestleMania XL reportedly very nearly looked quite different, folks.