After Drew McIntyre was able to capture the Undisputed WWE Championship from Cody Rhodes, it was due in part to Rhodes’ mistake.
Cody wasn’t beaten by McIntyre as the better man, he was distracted by Jacob Fatu and instead left room for McIntyre to capitalize and capture gold. Likely an event that will haunt his character, Rhodes’ road to return to the top could get complicated ahead of WrestleMania 42.
Here are five potential Cody Rhodes plans after he lost the Undisputed WWE Championship on SmackDown.
5. Disappear Until Royal Rumble
In a move few would expect, perhaps the best use of time ahead of the Royal Rumble would be for Cody Rhodes to just disappear.
Without a ton of fan fare, without any specific reasons noted — his absence could hang in the air over the coming weeks as Drew McIntyre moves on to new foes.
Leaving the audience wondering even more about his post-match actions if his character doesn’t return straight away, there could be a surprise return in Riyadh.
With the chance to make history and join Stone Cold Steve Austin as the only other man to win the Royal Rumble three times, Rhodes’ Royal Rumble could prove pivotal.
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4. Feud With Jacob Fatu
In what could be a surprising turn of events, rather than take his shot immediately at reclaiming the Undisputed WWE Championship, instead Rhodes could go on a side quest.
Taking on Jacob Fatu for costing him the Undisputed WWE Championship, the feud could be intriguing, albeit risky given Fatu’s fan favorite status with the audience.
While the discord between the pair could end up being short-lived, it could still be a segue to keep Rhodes engaged ahead of the Royal Rumble.
Possibly an outlet for more Cody Crash Outs, Rhodes could spend a spell losing his mind a bit before he returns to being focused on success ahead of WrestleMania 42.
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3. Royal Rumble Character Change
A shift in Cody Rhodes’ signature look could create chaos across the WWE fandom if he were stay absent ahead of the Royal Rumble 2026 in Riyadh.
If Rhodes returned at the Royal Rumble with different style gear (darker colors perhaps) or even having dyed his signature blonde hair darker — there could be plenty of speculation about the meaning.
With WWE able to subtly lay out clues of a character shift rather than a full heel turn, Rhodes’ character has a little more latitude to show more attitude.
Perhaps kicking off an anti-establishment era for Cody Rhodes in WWE, it could end up that fans end up circling back around to The Rock and Cody Rhodes again in the future.
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2. Switch Brands To WWE Raw
Perhaps using the opportunity to shake up the main event scene across the brands, Cody Rhodes could take the loss of the Undisputed WWE Championship as a sign to head to WWE Raw on Netflix.
Able to engage in wars with The Vision’s Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed, Austin Theory or Logan Paul, Rhodes could also bring some malicious intent.
Possibly targeting CM Punk, Rhodes might look to get back into the WrestleMania 42 main event scene by any means necessary.
Able to use a thin veneer of rivalry rooted in respect as a cover for perhaps a more dastardly underbelly of ambition overriding his morality — there could be some compelling character work in the future from Cody on Netflix.
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1. Feud with Carmelo Hayes
While Cody Rhodes may have fallen from his top spot on WWE SmackDown, Carmelo Hayes has secured his place in the brand as United States Champion.
With the pair having had run-ins in the past and given Melo’s recent babyface turn, it could be interesting to see Cody target Carmelo.
Pivoting to Cody Rhodes looking to pick off Carmelo Hayes for the title could end up backfiring in a major way, summoning the return of Brock Lesnar to SmackDown.
Possibly saving Hayes’ title in the process, Cody and Brock could go back to war with one another on the Road to WrestleMania 42 — whether or not a title is involved in the fight.
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