3 Ideas That Might Get AEW Crowds to Cheer Cody

 

A big topic of discussion amongst wrestling fans is centered around AEW EVP and TNT champion Cody Rhodes. Lately is seems like he is seeing a John Cena like crowd reaction with many fans enjoying the opportunity to boo him. Is Cody a good guy (face) or a bad guy (heel)?

To further this point, I have to also ask this, are Cody and AEW enjoying polarizing the fan base like this a teasing he could go either way? I tend to believe they like this and the additional attention he is getting because the crowd is reacting at least and at times loudly. And at the end of the day, Cena and Roman Reigns as well may have received mix crowd reactions but their merchandise sold well and the fans reacted every time.

But let's suppose that they do want Cody to be that "white meat babyface" that will kiss the babies and be the "face" of the company. How could AEW go about doing that? 

So please keep in mind I have zero experience in the business and these are just the creative mind at work but I thought of three things I would try if I were AEW. So with that in mind and unaware if these would actually work, here are three ideas I would sit down with Cody to discuss and see what he thought.

1) Ultimate Heel Trashes Dusty's Legacy

So what if there is a MJF or even Bully Ray/Bubba Ray Dudley or Roddy Piper style heel who came out and cut a promo on Cody and his father, the legendary American Dream Dusty Rhodes? What if they came out and said the only reason he was on top was because he was the one booking it and pointed out his failures as a booker? Maybe throw in a line about him being so overrated that the WWE put him in polka dots because they thought he was ridiculous and wanted to mock him. You could even run him down saying he held others down for his own good and I would extend an invite to Magnum TA to defend Dusty and Cody at an NC show to be in his corner for the match if possible. I would bet Magnum TA could cut a heck of a babyface promo in defense of them both and Cody would have a lot of positive aspects of Dusty's career to defend him with as well. 

2) Save CM Punk Darby Allin or Hangman Page From Beat Down & Tag With Him

So my next idea would be to have someone like CM Punk, Hangman Adam Page or Darby Allin is getting beat up only for Cody to make the save. I mean laid out in a blood mess. Maybe even Darby is a bloody mess reaching for Sting who is handcuffed and just when you think nobody will save him, Cody comes running out for the save. 

Or in CM Punk's case, FTR and MJF jump Punk backstage and Cody walks by, sees it and makes the save using a weapon leading to a future Dynamite match with FTR and MJF teaming up to face CM Punk, Cody and a returning Mox (which could lead to interference by The Chairman Shawn Spears and Eddie then evens it up so now we have CM Punk vs MJF, Cody vs Spears and Eddie and Mox against FTR). 

With Hangman's past with the Elite, I could see him making a save there too. Yes I know the Dark Order has Hangman's back but they could be locked or laid out in the locker room and so -1 finds Cody and has him make the save. Maybe even have Adam Cole, Bobby Fish and Kyle O'Reilly be the ones to jump Hangman because Cole wants a title shot, the Young Bucks are torn on their alliance and Cody makes the save instead.

3) Lay Out Arn Anderson Old School Four Horsemen Style

This last one is the one I would likely try first because I was an old school Four Horsemen vs Dusty/Magnum/Nikita/Sting fan and how they would lay out people gang style in the ring, at ringside and even jumping Dusty outside the arena and injuring him. So what if someone jumped Arn and left him badly injured. To prevent injury to Arn due to his neck issues, you could even set it up to where AEW only has audio of the attack and video of hi laid out and left to die. Then those responsible come out and laugh mocking him for getting a dose of his own medicine but being too old and decrepit to defend himself. This causes Brock to try to defend his father's honor but he can't do it alone so Cody now comes out and you now see the ultimate pissed off Cody Rhodes teaming with Brock to avenge the attack in either a street fight or Bunkhouse match or maybe even a cage match with Cody setting up Brock to get the big win for his dad.