During the March 1 Elimination Chamber pay-per-view at Toronto’s Rogers Centre, a major WWE storyline involving Cody Rhodes took an unexpected turn. While many, including the director of WWE Unreal, anticipated a Cody Rhodes WWE heel turn, the American Nightmare instead stayed true to his face character, delivering a moment that shocked fans and insiders alike.
Surprise at Elimination Chamber: Cody Rhodes Resists Turning Heel
The Elimination Chamber event drew over 30,000 fans who witnessed John Cena win the Men’s Elimination Chamber match, earning a WWE Championship opportunity against Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 41. Despite the spotlight on Cena’s unexpected heel turn, another narrative was unfolding involving Rhodes and The Rock. In the lead-up to the event, The Rock had challenged Rhodes to “sell his soul” to him, putting the WWE Champion in a position many believed would lead to a heel turn.
Rather than capitulate, Rhodes defiantly rejected The Rock with a vulgar retort, which earned cheers from John Cena and the audience. Cena’s subsequent betrayal—kicking Rhodes in the groin and aligning with The Rock and rapper Travis Scott—marked Cena’s first heel turn in more than two decades. The Toronto crowd erupted as they witnessed Rhodes being viciously assaulted in a shocking post-match scene that set up future storylines ahead of WrestleMania.
Director of WWE Unreal Expected Cody Rhodes to Turn Heel
Chris Weaver, director of the WWE Unreal documentary on Netflix, shared insights into the secrecy surrounding the Elimination Chamber event. He revealed that only a small group within WWE was aware of Cena’s heel turn before it happened. Weaver admitted that his own assumptions led him to believe Rhodes would be the one to turn heel instead.
“I think the most difficult thing is like something like the heel turn, that was so such a big story and had to be kept so secret for them that, you know, that’s like one of the few things we just had no knowledge of whatsoever. So when I found out I was in Toronto for Chamber and it was like I went into Chamber thinking that Cody was going to turn heel that night, and not through them, not, you know, there was no (indication) it was just sort of my hunch and where they were headed with the story. It just made a lot of sense that he was going to turn heel. Then obviously, you know, he did the thing in New Orleans with Rock and they were sort of setting it up and I was like, ‘Oh yeah, that’s what’s going to happen.’ and we’ve been sort of told ‘this is going to be a big, it’s going to be a big show’, ‘you don’t want to miss it.’ They were giving us some sort of breadcrumbs, but without telling us explicitly. So when I found out like 15 minutes before that it was actually going to happen, I was like, ‘S**t, we don’t have- what are we going to do in an access show that we don’t have what I knew was going to be the biggest story of the year now?’ So that was like an example of a challenge.”
—Chris Weaver, WWE Unreal Director
Weaver’s comments underline the challenges faced by the documentary crew, who had to adapt quickly upon learning about Cena’s heel turn with little notice. This misdirection enhanced the surprise for fans and maintained maximal secrecy within WWE’s creative team.
John Cena’s Unexpected Heel Turn Steals the Spotlight
The Eldritch surprise of the event was undeniably John Cena’s heel turn, an event WWE had kept tightly under wraps. Cena’s alliance with The Rock and Travis Scott, coupled with his betrayal of Rhodes, marked a rare and significant shift in his long-standing career as a top face in the company. The move opened fresh storytelling avenues leading up to WrestleMania 41, where Cena will challenge Rhodes for the championship in what promises to be a landmark WWE showdown.
Future Storylines: Rhodes vs. McIntyre and WWE Title Dynamics
Following the Elimination Chamber, Rhodes was viciously attacked by Drew McIntyre on the August 8 edition of SmackDown, resulting in Rhodes missing the following week’s episode. This attack sets the stage for an anticipated feud between Rhodes and McIntyre over the WWE Championship. The timeline for their eventual showdown remains uncertain as Rhodes is currently tied up with filming commitments for the Street Fighter movie, and the injury angle serves to temporarily write him out of WWE programming.
Challenges for WWE Content Creation Amid Secret Plot Twists
The secrecy surrounding major plot developments like Cena’s heel turn reflects WWE’s commitment to protecting its storytelling surprises. However, it also places pressure on those involved in content production. As Chris Weaver noted, learning about the heel turn just minutes prior to it happening forced WWE Unreal’s team to improvise and adjust their narrative coverage on the fly, highlighting the unpredictable nature of WWE’s creative decisions.
Impact and Anticipation: What Lies Ahead After Elimination Chamber
The events at Elimination Chamber 2024 have reset expectations and caused shockwaves across WWE’s fanbase and wrestling insiders. The unexpected roles twisted the characters of both Rhodes and Cena, setting up a tense and dramatic atmosphere heading into WrestleMania weekend. Cody Rhodes’ refusal to turn heel reinforced his status as a fan-favorite champion, while Cena’s heel persona has injected fresh intrigue into his career trajectory.
Going forward, WWE’s storytelling will likely explore the fallout from these events, with key rivalries and alliances evolving. The seeming betrayal by Cena promises consequences that will unfold in coming WWE programming, and potential matchups—especially involving Drew McIntyre—are eagerly awaited by fans.
