Despite playing the pure babyface character and having all the right storylines, Cody Rhodes has quickly become somebody that wrestling fans simply don't like. But why?
Cody Has Recently Endured Lackluster Storylines
Even though Cody Rhodes pushes to be the ideal babyface, the problem is that his storylines as of late simply haven't been good. It is one of the reasons fans have turned against him, because what he has been doing isn't working.
Nobody was interested in him feuding against QT Marshall, with this being a very bland storyline overall. And while his feud with Anthony Ogogo could have been great, the way he handled it simply ruined any excitement.
While some fans will argue that he doesn't put others over, that isn't exactly the case. His storylines simply do not end up being overly exciting as they are all too similar, with Rhodes being backed into a corner as he then tries to rally the fans around him to fight back and eventually get the win.
People find his storylines predictable and a little flat, which is something that fans have simply rejected entirely, making that loudly obvious. Even his current feud against Malakai Black simply is not connecting with audiences, mainly because it has been dragged on for far too long.
Black has dominated Cody, and even with his best attempts to gain sympathy — from teasing retirement to his fallout with Arn Anderson — people still do not care. Audiences want to see wrestlers defeat him and because of that, his storylines are not making any real impact anymore.
The Inability To Become Champion Makes Getting Behind Cody Pointless
One issue that a lot of people overlook with Cody is the fact that he can never become the AEW World Champion. This is a storyline that a lot of fans forget, but it does play a big impact in why fans have stopped caring about his character.
When AEW first began, Cody was on fire as one of the top talents in the entire industry, and people were excited about the prospect of him becoming World Champion in a major promotion. However, the stipulation he put on himself which led to Cody now never being able to win the title was a poor decision in hindsight.
It instantly restricted him as a wrestler, as he has a glass ceiling on top of himself, no matter what he manages to accomplish. Instead of getting behind him as a top babyface, fans have gone to others such as 'Hangman' Adam Page and Darby Allin, because audiences know they can enjoy the entire journey to the top.
Cody's limitations instantly stop people from caring about him and while him going from storyline to storyline can help other wrestlers, it doesn't make a big impact in building his character.
Cody Has Refused To Adapt
Ultimately, the main reason that Cody is no longer connecting with the audience is the fact that he simply hasn't changed. Throughout his entire career, Cody has always switched up his character, making slight tweaks to his gimmick or having big creative shifts.
Yet, when it comes to AEW, he is still playing the same character that he debuted as two years ago. The big over-the-top entrance that is far grander than anybody else was fun at the start when he was mocking WWE and taking shots, but now when it takes five minutes to hit the ring for a simple promo, people don't care.
He is giving the same type of promos, working the same style inside the ring, and he simply hasn't adapted. The rest of the top stars who joined at the start of AEW have all changed. Whether it be big tweaks such as The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega, or smaller changes like what Chris Jericho has undergone, they have all stayed fresh.
That simply isn't the case with Cody, and that has led to his character becoming quite stale. Fans want to see something different from him, and while it seems like he is not going to go for the heel turn that would make sense, a slight tweak is desperately needed.
No matter how many times they put him in peril against different heels, fans simply will not have sympathy for him because the story and character are the same, which is ultimately why fans are turning.