Cody Rhodes is on a path to reclaim the Undisputed WWE Championship. The American Nightmare punched his ticket to the King of the Ring Tournament semi-finals on last week's SmackDown by defeating Damian Priest, Andrade, and Shinsuke Nakamura in a Fatal Four-Way Match. The events of this week's RAW have sparked speculation about a potential alliance between Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins.
Rhodes is set to face Jey Uso in the semi-final of the KOTR Tournament next Monday. The YEET Master secured his spot on this week's RAW by defeating Sheamus, Bronson Reed, and Rusev in a Fatal Four-Way bout. However, the post-match events have sparked a discourse among fans.
After Uso's victory, an angry Seth Rollins made his way out to attack The YEET Master. Before Rollins could get his hands on Uso, Cody Rhodes came out and stopped The Visionary in his tracks. Rhodes and Rollins had an intense staredown before The Visionary retreated. Interestingly, there were no attempts at initiating violence from either side.
Rhodes and Rollins have fought alongside and against each other on numerous occasions. Considering their storied history, The American Nightmare could turn to the dark side and join Rollins in his vision for the future of the industry. Their interaction on RAW has added fuel to the fire. The American Nightmare could shock the world by turning heel and revealing himself to be the latest member of Seth Rollins' faction at Night of Champions.
Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins previously worked together at WrestleMania 40, where the duo battled The Rock and Roman Reigns in a tag team bout in the main event of Night One. The Visionary then played a major role in Cody Rhodes finishing his story the following night. Their chemistry and respect for one another could lead to Rhodes joining Seth Rollins' group.
The former Undisputed WWE Champion could secure a spot in the final of the King of the Ring Tournament next Monday. If this happens, he will be up against either Randy Orton or Sami Zayn at Night of Champions. The Visionary and The American Nightmare may reveal their master plan at the premium live event, where Rollins and company may assist Rhodes in winning the tournament.
This potential scenario would mark the 39-year-old's first heel turn since returning to WWE in 2022. With Seth Rollins holding the Men's MITB briefcase and The American Nightmare potentially winning the KOTR Tournament, both men could be next in line to win a world title.
Seth Rollins could cash in his contract to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, and Cody Rhodes could get his revenge on John Cena with the help of his new faction at SummerSlam. Cody's addition could make Seth's faction an unstoppable force.
While it's an exciting angle, it should be noted that it's speculative at this point. Fans will have to tune in to see what's next for The American Nightmare in the Stamford-based promotion.
On Sportskeeda Wrestling's BroDown, WWE veteran Vince Russo shared his thoughts on Rhodes and Orton winning their respective King of the Ring qualifiers on SmackDown. Russo insisted that The American Nightmare and The Viper did not need to win the tournament, considering their respective status in the company.
The former WWE writer claimed that the lack of established stars on the main roster forced the Triple H-led creative team to rely on the two veterans.
"This just goes to show you everything we are talking about. At this point in their careers, where they are on the card, does Randy Orton or Cody Rhodes really need to be winning King of the Ring? This just shows you that nobody is over. They keep going back to the same people," he said.
It will be interesting to see how the King of the Ring Tournament unfolds in the coming weeks.