Following his WrestleMania XL victory over Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes gears up for his first title defense. However, Vince Russo argues that WWE missed a crucial opportunity by not establishing a formidable heel challenger post-WrestleMania.
In a recent segment on Sportskeeda Wrestling’s Legion of RAW, Russo criticized the creative direction for Rhodes’ first title defense against AJ Styles at Backlash 2024. He emphasized the importance of building a compelling antagonist to add intrigue to Rhodes’ reign.
Expressing skepticism about the match’s outcome, Russo questioned whether Rhodes would realistically lose to Styles in his inaugural defense. He stressed the need to prioritize storytelling over predictable match outcomes, advocating for the development of a strong heel to challenge Rhodes.
Russo praised WWE’s portrayal of Solo Sikoa as the new Tribal Chief, suggesting that Sikoa could have been a viable contender for Rhodes had he been established before Reigns lost the title.
Meanwhile, Styles, the No. 1 contender, is poised to confront Rhodes on SmackDown. Despite his heel status, Styles expressed respect for Rhodes while targeting his opponent, LA Knight, whom he defeated to secure the title shot.
As anticipation builds for their showdown, Styles teases an upcoming revelation on SmackDown, promising a compelling encounter with the champion.
