Getty Image
WrestleMania 39 was supposed to be Cody Rhodes’ time.
Rhodes, the son of pro wrestling legend Dusty Rhodes, left the WWE in 2016 after a disappointing run and went on to craft his own empire in AEW.
Now, back with the world’s largest company, he was finally getting his turn to be the guy.
Rhodes returned in 2022 at WrestleMania to a raucous crowd response. But shortly thereafter he was taken off television after tearing his pec. After months of rehabl, Rhodes again returned in January, winning the 2023 Royal Rumble.
That gave him a shot at current WWE champ Roman Reigns, who like Rhodes comes from a famous wrestling family and has ruled the company for nearly three full years.
For months, the two exchanged promos. Reigns talked about who Rhodes wasn’t built for the responsibility of being the company’s leader. While Rhodes discussed about how he needed to be champion, not for his fallen father, but for his own self.
Everything appeared to pointing to Rhodes standing tall at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles as the one who finally conquered Roman Reigns.
But then something weird happen. Reigns won.
The crowd in the arena fell fat and the backlash on Twitter was unlike any you’ve ever seen before.
Why do you hate your fans. Might be time to stop watching
— Rhino (@Rhino184) April 3, 2023
A Wrestlemania that good needed a massive celebration ending. Two days of epicness ends with a thud.
All that for the same ending we’ve had for three years?
— Brandon Walker (@BFW) April 3, 2023
at the end of the day
nobody who ends up being Roman will be as over and as hot as Cody was tonight. That’s the reason why this is annoying.
It was the perfect time
— Pav (@WrestlinGifs) April 3, 2023
I just don't get the booking of those last three matches. If Asuka, Balor and Cody win, this is the greatest #WrestleMania of all time.
Instead… booking like Vince was back in charge. Flabbergasted at that finish. If it wasn't McIntyre or Sami, it was this.
— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) April 3, 2023
Who threw a rubber chicken in the ring. #WrestleMania pic.twitter.com/42lfBUkYtV
— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) April 3, 2023
https://twitter.com/dansbadtweets/status/1642733988304257025?s=20
https://twitter.com/davidbix/status/1642733754547355650?s=20
A number of fans even stated that they’d now watch rival company AEW instead,
https://twitter.com/obsanity/status/1642848698630537216?s=20
https://twitter.com/DoubleDragonXP/status/1642737036565127169?s=20
As a wrestling fan, THIS is why I'm an #AEW guy. https://t.co/1r6fr8E0qg
— A A Ron (@TheAaronGoins) April 3, 2023
Shortly after the show, WWE held a press conference. Some of the answers were in kayfabe (character), but WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H (Paul Levesque) was asked about the decision not to have Rhodes win and offered an interesting answer.
Triple H explains why Cody – Roman ended the way it did pic.twitter.com/o993LqUSZe
— Superdrunkmark69 (@cjzer0) April 3, 2023
Trips goes deeper to explain why that was the decision pic.twitter.com/wWKefnslRj
— Superdrunkmark69 (@cjzer0) April 3, 2023
“What I will say about that is it’s always interesting to me when people say ‘how could that happen or how could they do that in that moment,” he said. “And it’s almost perfectly spelled out in this story. I need to finish the story. In the WWE the story never finishes…”
Unsurprisingly, fans weren’t really feeling his answer.
It's been three years you are not writing The Illiad https://t.co/6rEdn577Gr
— Kate | Fightful | Mark Order (@MissKatefabe) April 3, 2023
By his logic none of these moments would have happened if he was always in charge LMAOOOOO https://t.co/WyqlI6nG0E pic.twitter.com/ysYqvC9idm
— 🎩 (@HR_6IX) April 3, 2023
Lol remember when wwe used mania to create stars that created new stories? Hhh speaks with the arrogance of an executive who knows wwe fans will tune in and show up no matter what. https://t.co/CkB1QdILwZ
— BIGLAZ (@TeamKaos1998) April 3, 2023
So there you have it. The story never really ends in WWE. But then it seems fair to ask why anyone should watch at all?