WWE hot take: Cody Rhodes and Brock Lesnar is a throwback rivalry

Cody and Brock is a rivalry that WWE has been missing for decades.

WWE for the last few decades going back to when John Cena won his first few world titles was focused on mainly one individual being the face of the company. The strategy was a massive call-back to an old strategy utilized whether it was for Hulk Hogan or Shawn Michaels.

The attention was put on them as main event superstars and rarely during those eras would there be much memorable attention to much else, especially when there isn’t a title on the line. WWE shifted strategies for the ruthless aggression era and had many memorable rivalries on the high and low cards.

Brock Lesnar and Cody Rhodes have brought an element to a non-world title rivalry that hasn’t been tapped into for a few decades. Where it’s not about world titles being on the line, but something deeper that adds to the overall program.

The element Brock and Cody will bring to WWE.

The emotional factor is a major part of Cody and Brock’s rivalry. They may be two different competitors, but in many ways, they are the same. Brock left WWE to find success in other endeavors that ultimately built him up, and Cody left WWE and found success in other endeavors that took him to the next level.

Both men returned to WWE after finding success in their respective endeavors and they both came back hotter than ever before. It has given the brand a boost in so many ways due to them finding success and excelling at it in a full blaze of glory.

One did it by going outside of wrestling and into the mixed martial arts world, and the other built a new house in wrestling that stands today. Two businessmen who have made themselves into so much more to the wrestling world and now they are going face-to-face with each other.

Brock Lesnar became the UFC Heavyweight champion, showing himself to be one of the best crossovers in history. He had doubters who doubted whether he was real or not. He had to overcome a lot more including sickness, but with all of that considered, he had a successful run and is forever put in history as one of the elite heavyweights in UFC history.

Cody was on his own with various promotions from NWA to Impact Wrestling, but Cody had a lot more in mind. Fans had no idea that he would become a successful businessman adding another promotion to the wrestling world. It showed fans that there was more to Cody than just winning championships, but he showed himself as a marketing genius.

Roman Reigns has taken over as the face of WWE in a similar fashion as Seth Rollins and John Cena did many years before. It drew a lot of attention to the importance of the world titles, but it also took attention away when there is no world title on the line for a rivalry.

There have been many memorable rivalries by household names including Kurt Angle versus Rey Mysterio, Undertaker versus Randy Orton, or even Triple H versus a then-returning Shawn Michaels. In all instances, these rivalries were mentioned and more didn’t have a title on the line at the time, but there was so much more on the line and that was pride.

Pride played a big part as these competitors battled and in many cases made memorable matches that outshined a world title match at times. They wanted to get the upper hand above their rival and in some cases, it meant world title implications later on, and in other cases, it was simply a major victory.

Brock Lesnar and Cody Rhodes going at it have the potential to be one of those memorable non-title rivalries. What they both represent to wrestling has all the potential to be a memorable rivalry for 2023 and beyond.

Fans will see it all unfold as Cody continues to make a point that he refuses to be a victim of Brock’s terror and show why he is on his level. Continue to watch WWE RAW and Smackdown as these two competitors rock the wrestling world once again on the road to Wrestlemania Backlash.