Cody Rhodes' Red-Hot Babyface Run Defies the Odds in WWE

Even the most ardent critic would have to admit Cody Rhodes' return to WWE paid dividends, but his continuous success in 2024 has been a sight to behold.

The second-generation star's meteoric run as the top babyface in the company almost defies all logic at this point. His ability to overcome every obstacle, disprove every prediction of his downfall and remain popular is impressive.

After all, he withstood a crushing loss to Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39 and became a back-to-back men's Royal Rumble winner. The Rock's wildly entertaining comeback and a long-awaited dream match with The Head of the Table couldn't even derail his rise to the top.

His most vocal supporters famously rebelled ahead of The Showcase of the Immortals, and Rhodes finally finished his story on Night 2 of the event. Nothing could stop him from achieving his ultimate goal, but it didn't stop there.

Online fans were sure viewers would grow tired of The American Nightmare and the familiar calls for him to turn heel would eventually start. But it hasn't happened, and he is still one of the most celebrated protagonists in the industry.

It's astonishing, but the numbers don't lie. Maybe, it's time to admit that The American Nightmare is the pure babyface WWE has been in search of since John Cena left for Hollywood.

Staggering Metrics and an Unmatched Connection

That may sound like a stretch to some, but it's hard to argue with the results. Reigns is undeniably the biggest star of his era, but his return hasn't eclipsed Rhodes' title reign as most of us expected.

In fact, his merchandise is still the hottest commodity. According to Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful, "It has consistently been Cody Rhodes for quite a while now. Outside of occasional live events when generic WWE-themed or PPV-branded merch is collectively the top seller, it's almost always Cody."

In September, the 39-year-old entered rarefied air when he became one of the top five athletes and personalities in overall sales on Fanatics. This was a major milestone because no other wrestler has ranked this high on the store among names from other sports.

The feat even earned an endorsement from Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin.

Getting back to the Cena comparison, Dave Meltzer put his popularity in perspective in July. He explained in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that the numbers would indicate Rhodes surpassed him as the most successful babyface since the Attitude Era:

Even if that sounds like a bold statement, it's hard to deny his contributions to the most lucrative period in over 20 years.

Two consecutive WrestleMania main event appearances speak for themselves, but Rhodes is also consistently well-received at live shows and international events.

The Ideal Face of the Company

Let's face it. The undisputed WWE universal champion is the face of the company, and WWE is generating mainstream attention and record sellouts again. Even more, Rhodes has connected with its audience in a way he didn't during his first run.

The "We Want Cody" chants forced the powers-that-be to prioritize his crowning moment at The Show of Shows. The response from the fans proved he wasn't just a shiny new toy and their adulation would endure.

It was easy to assume it wouldn't last because viewers inevitably reject so many pure babyface characters. To that end, we saw how his act eventually grew stale with All Elite Wrestling after such a hot start in 2019.

Still, there's something different about him now. His drive to fulfill his lifelong dream and build a legacy felt genuine. All of his struggles and the fire it lit in him to go from undesirable to undeniable made him relatable.

Rhodes has captured the imagination of children in the live crowd across the world and created an underdog even adults can believe in. It's so rare in this current era of pro wrestling, but he has tapped into do-gooder shtick that inexplicably works no matter how much anyone doubts him.

The Bloodline is still the main storyline on SmackDown, and Reigns will come looking for a rematch. Nevertheless, The American Nightmare has delivered some of the year's best matches and unforgettable moments.

His first WWE world title reign will always spark debates online, but he continues to rack up achievements and silence critics.

Whether you love or hate Rhodes, he has accomplished what he set out to prove and so much more.