Why Cody Rhodes' Creative Stands Out Among Bland WWE Storylines

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Cody Rhodes' attention to detail is what sets him apart from his contemporaries in WWE, and it's taking his feud with Seth Rollins to a different level compared to everything else on Monday Night Raw. The American Nightmare isn't the most athletic performer on the red brand, and he's certainly not the strongest. He was never Vince McMahon's chosen one, and he had to leave for more than half a decade to carve out this version of himself.

Now, however, he's being treated as a must-see attraction on WWE Raw, with the brand going so far as to roll out a "Countdown to Cody" clock at the opening of every show. Moreover, the early returns on that timer are that it actually brings eyeballs back to Raw as the second hour runs into the third—a real testament to what Rhodes has managed to capture since making his surprise return at WrestleMania 38.

Related: Cody Rhodes' Perfect WWE SummerSlam Opponent Isn't Roman Reigns

Rhodes developed this confidence and character while working in other promotions as he went on a learning excursion of sorts, similar to what Young Lions go through in NJPW. They're asked to go to different promotions and bring back aspects of their wrestling style to New Japan. Rhodes left WWE and learned to convey something that is relatively commonplace on the independent circuit but rarely seen in wrestling entertainment — and that's attention to detail.

In AEW and before that in NJPW, the likes of Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks were spinning intricate stories that spanned a YouTube series, multiple federations, and dozens of social media posts. There were breadcrumbs everywhere, and fans ate it up. Rhodes has brought that aspect of AEW back with him, and it's shown multiple times over the last several weeks on