Is TKO Deliberately Setting Up Cody Rhodes to Fail?
For the second year in a row, Cody Rhodes looks like a fool. Maybe it’s bad booking. Or maybe it’s something else.
For the second consecutive year, WWE Champion Cody Rhodes finds himself at the center of a booking controversy that has left fans and analysts questioning the creative direction behind one of the company's biggest stars. What began as whispered frustration in online forums has grown into a full-throated conspiracy theory: that TKO Group Holdings is intentionally undermining Rhodes at every turn.
The theory centers on a pattern of questionable storytelling decisions that consistently leave Rhodes looking weak, reactive, or outmaneuvered by his rivals. Critics point to repeated instances where championship momentum has been blunted by poorly timed losses, confusing narrative pivots, and opponents elevated at Rhodes' direct expense. Supporters of the theory argue that no booking team could make these mistakes twice by accident.
On the other side of the debate, WWE defenders insist the issue is far simpler — bad creative decisions made under the pressure of a relentless weekly television schedule. With Raw now airing on Netflix and scrutiny at an all-time high, the writing team is stretched thin, and Cody Rhodes may simply be a casualty of an overloaded system rather than a deliberate corporate agenda.
Whether the cause is malicious intent or creative incompetence, the damage to Rhodes' credibility is real and measurable. Fan confidence in his character arc is eroding, and with WrestleMania season approaching, TKO faces mounting pressure to course-correct before one of its most valuable investments becomes irreparably damaged in the eyes of its audience.