AEW: Is Cody Rhodes On a Path the Join the House of Black?

Since his jaw-dropping debut in AEW, Malakai Black has made it his personal mission to disrupt the Nightmare Family, and in particular Cody Rhodes.

Black has run roughshod through most of the more significant members of Rhodes’ faction, including scoring two victories over Cody himself.

The latest match between the two took place during Dynamite’s Grand Slam episode.  It wasn’t a huge shock that Black won the match, but it was quite surprising that the majority of the twenty thousand plus people in attendance seemed to be backing Black.

While it is possible that the crowd was cheering Black simply because he has been an absolute rock star since coming to AEW, shining in every match and spot he has been in, the more likely scenario is that a large number of fans are starting to get fed up with this Cody Rhodes character.

While Rhodes’ entire time in AEW has been spent as a face he has some qualities that many people find unlikable.  He carries himself with an air of entitlement and arrogance that is a turn-off to a lot of wrestling fans.

And for the first time ever in AEW, he was not the crowd favorite last Wednesday in New York.

And this sets up as a perfectly organic transition into the role of a heel for Cody Rhodes.

Cody Rhodes’ heel turn could lead directly to a spot in the House of Black.

This week on Dynamite, Cody Rhodes will team with Lee Johnson to take on Dante Martin and Matt Sydal in tag team action.

At first glance, this match seems like maybe Cody has moved on from Malakai Black and this match might lead him into a new program.

But the smart money says that Black isn’t quite finished with Cody Rhodes yet.

After last week’s victory over Cody Rhodes, the cameras caught a great shot of Black lying on the ramp to the ring and laughing uncontrollably.

He was most definitely laughing because he had just outsmarted Rhodes to pick up another victory, but he also was laughing because he knows that he is living rent-free in the head of Cody Rhodes.

This week’s tag match is set up beautifully for Dante Martin and Matt Sydal to pull the upset over Lee Johnson and Cody Rhodes.  And when this happens it is very likely Rhodes will snap, blaming Johnson for the loss in one capacity or another and putting a beatdown on Johnson.

If this happens don’t be surprised if Black shows up to observe, smiling ear-to-ear, as he marvels in what he has turned Cody Rhodes into.

As Cody continues to move further and further away from the man he used to be don’t be surprised if some Stockholm Syndrome-like symptoms start to form and he joins forces with Black, or at the very least they align to accomplish mutual goals in the future.

if Cody Rhodes is going to elicit unwanted boos as a face, he might as well embrace the turn.  And joining forces with one of the most unique and talented individuals on the roster would be a great heel path for Cody to take.