Why Cody Rhodes Needs To Win Back To Back Royal Rumbles

Highlights

• CM Punk is the current favorite to win the 2024 Royal Rumble according to betting odds.
• Cody Rhodes should receive strong booking and defeat Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.
• Rhodes winning back-to-back Royal Rumbles would make him a worthy champion and join an illustrious list of past winners.

On the episode of Monday Night RAW following WWE Survivor Series 2023, Cody Rhodes announced himself as the first official entrant in the 2024 Royal Rumble match. Although he won the 30-man battle royal last year, Rhodes is among the favorites to win this year too. There will be some debate as there is every year over who should be the one to win the iconic matchup, but there is a very strong argument to be made that Cody Rhodes should win it once again, becoming the first man in over two decades to go and win back to back Royal Rumbles.

WWE Has A Few Options For The Royal Rumble

Cody Rhodes Isn’t The Only Potential Winner

• Betting odds have CM Punk as the current favorite
• Cody Rhodes suffering another setback would be too predictable and forced

Although it seemed pretty obvious in 2023 when it came to who was going to win the Royal Rumble, 2024 looks unclear, with a big part of this being because there are two world champions. The likes of Gunther, Sami Zayn, Cody Rhodes, LA Knight, and even the newly signed CM Punk are all within contention to win the illustrious matchup. WWE has several options, and when it comes to Cody Rhodes, there are more than one roads to WrestleMania, so some may argue a Royal Rumble win isn’t entirely necessary.

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Of course, it would be nice to see a new name win the Royal Rumble, but if Cody Rhodes is to take the place of number one guy in WWE against Roman Reigns, he needs the best booking possible. Rhodes isn’t your typical underdog, with him coming across more as a passionate and courageous winner rather than someone to overcome a huge number of setbacks. Losing the Rumble and then going to earn a shot at Elimination Chamber would feel largely predictable and it has been done before. It would be far more interesting and unpredictable at the Chamber event if there was a match to determine the World Heavyweight Championship challenger instead.

Cody Rhodes Needs To Defeat Roman Reigns

Cody Rhodes Should Receive The Strongest Possible Booking In WWE

• A two-time Royal Rumble winner would make Cody Rhodes look like a worthy champion
• WWE cannot drop the ball again at WrestleMania

There is not much doubt that the man to finally defeat Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship should be “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes. Fans were ready at WrestleMania 39 when the pair clashed in a big time main event, but with a frustrating loss due to interference from Solo Sikoa, it has only made fans want to see Reigns drop the gold so much more ever since. Rhodes has been booked strongly ever since his title match defeat, winning feuds against top names in Brock Lesnar and The Judgment Day in 2023, and should continue to be presented as a world beater ahead of facing Roman Reigns.

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If he wins the Royal Rumble again in two months time, he would be looked at as a true main event level star and someone worthy of winning the biggest prize in WWE, and ending the most iconic title reign of the modern era. Rhodes is the right man to end Reigns’ 1000+ day reign as world champion, and he needs to win the Rumble, go on to WrestleMania 40, and stand tall in the main event of the show.

The History Of Back-To-Back Royal Rumble Winners

Cody Rhodes Would Join An Illustrious List

• There have only been three back-to-back Royal Rumble winners ever
• WWE hasn't done this for a quarter of a century

Some fans are rightfully averse to seeing multi-time Royal Rumble winners, and over the last decade the likes of John Cena, Triple H, Edge, Batista, Brock Lesnar, and Randy Orton have all emerged with their second Royal Rumble victories - something fans have sighed at and rolled their eyes over due to it being boring, predictable, and a case of WWE not making a new star. However, when done correctly, a two-time winner can be the best decision and it can further create a star, which would be the case with Rhodes. Looking back to the three back-to-back Royal Rumble winners - Steve Austin, Hulk Hogan, and Shawn Michaels, their victories were welcomed and adored by the audience.

Randy Orton's History With Cody Rhodes In WWE, Explained

Cody Rhodes is at a level of consistent popularity right now that not many babyfaces in recent memory have experienced before, and WWE should miss the boat on making history and delivering the first back-to-back Rumble winner since Steve Austin in 1997 and 1998, a quarter of a century ago. It isn’t something done often and not for a long time, so it would likely not be jarring, and instead it would feel like a very real and rare accomplishment, undoubtedly providing momentum to Rhodes ahead of a second WrestleMania main event in a row.

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