Cody Rhodes became the 2025 WWE King of the Ring at Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia. The American Nightmare defeated Randy Orton in the finals to emerge as the victor. Now, Rhodes will face the Undisputed WWE Champion at SummerSlam 2025.
Meanwhile, during the KOTR match, there were noticeable signs that suggest Rhodes might heel turn for the first time since returning to the company in 2022.
In this article, we will discuss four signs that imply that Cody will turn into a villainous star at the Biggest Party of the Summer to win the Undisputed title.
As many are aware, Randy Orton missed 18 months of his career due to a back injury, which nearly ended his career.
During the showdown at Night of Champions, Randy Orton seemingly hurt his back after delivering a top rope superplex to Rhodes. Despite being a babyface star, The American Nightmare did not hesitate to take advantage of it, as he even used the side turnbuckles to torture the back of Orton.
This wasn't the only instance, as it occurred multiple times during the match. The actions of the former Undisputed WWE Champion hint that his heel turn might soon take place in the company, and it could happen at SummerSlam this August.
During a recent interview, Cody Rhodes hinted at his heel turn. The 39-year-old star has stated that he is already at the tail end of his current run as a babyface. The former champion mentioned that he has already spent three years as a heroic character.
The latest development leading to Night of Champions indicates that Rhodes might turn heel soon, with SummerSlam being the ideal location.
Randy Orton exposed the turnbuckles towards the end of the match and tried to take advantage. However, this backfires on him as Cody Rhodes used that exposed buckle to secure the victory.
Usually, the top babyface stars do not use these tactics to win a match. This seemingly hints that Cody's character switch is near to unfold.
If Cody Rhodes turns heel at WWE SummerSlam 2025, then this will allow the company an opportunity to turn John Cena back to babyface. This could be done if the company plans to have a double turn at The Biggest Party of the Summer, with Rhodes turning heel and dethroning the Last Real Champion.
This loss could make Cena realize that he never meant to be a villainous star and eventually turn back to his heroic character, leading to a rubber match between The American Nightmare and The Cenation Leader. This bout might conclude with the GOAT becoming the 18th World Champion. Additionally, it could be a perfect way to end the veteran's retirement tour in WWE.