Cody Rhodes Was Told The Rock Vs. Roman Reigns Would Main Event WWE WrestleMania 40.
Cody Rhodes was told on the day of the Royal Rumble that although he would be winning the titular match, he would not be main eventing WrestleMania 40 as that spot was being reserved for The Rock vs. Roman Reigns.
“We talked a little bit about that in the behind-the-scenes documentary. The one thing that is revealed in that documentary and might put things in a different perspective for people is I found out the possibility of The Rock vs. Roman Reigns the day of the Royal Rumble. I had to leave that room, head up, and make sure no one knew what could possibly happen. One of the more difficult days I’ve had in the wrestling business. But also, how could you complain when you’re winning the Royal Rumble, when you’re pointing at the sign?” Cody said on Busted Open Radio.
“There were over 20,000 people in Tampa. It was such a high, such a low. But I will say this – the month leading up to WrestleMania 40, I just couldn’t catch a break, when it came to the ideal circumstances. I was just talking to Brandi about this this morning, but my bus, a few days before WrestleMania, becomes a giant fireball in the parking lot. They had to bring in a new bus for me. I’m sleeping in a bunk for a band I don’t even know. I was not going to be presented with the ideal circumstances. And I had given into that I had conceded to that before WrestleMania because I just had this feeling. Even going back to the Royal Rumble, I had this feeling that it was going to work out.”
Everything ultimately did work out for Cody Rhodes. A fan backlash emerged after the American Nightmare stepped aside for The Rock on the February 2 episode of SmackDown which led to Dwayne Johnson deciding to turn heel and that Cody should main event WrestleMania 40 against Roman Reigns. Cody then finished the story, defeating Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.
There were “games” played over the main event of WrestleMania XL in the months before Mania. WWE’s original plans would have seen The Rock beat Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Title and then immediately vacate the belt to head back to Hollywood. Roman Reigns would have then won the vacant championship and dropped it to Cody Rhodes later in the year.
