Review: Incoming Cody Heel Turn? | KO & Punk SmackDown Title Match
Dave LaGreca and Bully Ray discuss potential Cody Rhodes heel turn after he quoted Paul Heyman on SmackDown, analyze the CM Punk vs. Kevin Owens championship match where Sami Zayn's interference played a crucial role, and debate the storytelling implications of both segments.
Summary
The episode opens with hosts Dave LaGreca and Bully Ray examining Cody Rhodes' promo on SmackDown where he quoted Paul Heyman's famous line about predictions being spoilers. The hosts analyze audience reactions—cheers for Randy Orton challenging the championship record, boos when Cody claimed the title would return to him, and gasps at the Heyman reference. They debate whether this signals a future Paul Heyman-Cody alignment, comparing it to historic turns like Hulk Hogan's NWO heel turn. Bully Ray emphasizes that any Cody heel turn must be as impactful as Hogan's Bash at the Beach moment, with specific requirements: a massive fanbase still supporting him at the turn, a clear babyface victim whose back he turns on, and perfect timing orchestrated by Heyman. The hosts note that fans are beginning to turn on Cody despite the story logically calling for Randy Orton heat, which lends credence to a potential heel turn down the line. They discuss how Heyman could slowly plant seeds through cryptic interactions rather than immediate alignment.
Regarding the CM Punk vs. Kevin Owens SmackDown main event, LaGreca and Ray praise the match's physicality, particularly Owens' punches and clotheslines which appeared to have genuine impact. They note Punk was booed heavily in Toronto despite being positioned as the heel in the narrative. Sami Zayn interfered during the match, attacking both wrestlers but primarily targeting Punk due to their history. When Zayn knocked out Owens and offered Punk an easy championship opportunity, Owens refused to win that way—a moment the hosts compare to the legendary Von Erics vs. Freebirds cage match angle. Punk retained the championship after the distraction, continuing a pattern where both his recent title defenses (against Cody at SummerSlam with Randy Orton's help, and against Owens with Sami Zayn's interference) have involved outside help. The hosts discuss the narrative implications: Punk has plausible deniability since he didn't orchestrate the interference, yet he consistently benefits from it. They speculate about potential directions for Punk moving forward, including a possible triple threat match at Saturday Night's Main Event involving Sami Zayn.
About this episode
Dave LaGreca and Bully Ray review the big stories from Friday Night SmackDown: Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton continue to battle on the mic... is a Cody Rhodes heel turn incoming? Plus, Sami Zayn gets involved as CM Punk retains his title over Kevin Owens.
Key Insights
- Bully Ray argues that Cody's heel turn would only be successful if it reaches the magnitude of Hogan's NWO turn, requiring both a massive remaining fanbase and a specific moment where he turns on a beloved babyface, otherwise it fails completely.
- The hosts observe that contrary to the narrative logic which should build Randy Orton heat, fans are actually beginning to boo Cody Rhodes more, suggesting the creative storytelling may be organically planting seeds for a heel turn.
- LaGreca and Ray contend that modern professional wrestling has lost the art of meaningful physicality, with most wrestlers throwing weak-looking punches and kicks that serve as transitions rather than impactful moments, unlike the snug execution demonstrated by Owens and Punk.
- The hosts explain that Punk's plausible deniability defense—that he didn't orchestrate the interference at either SummerSlam or against Owens—still allows him to benefit from outside help while avoiding direct culpability, creating narrative ambiguity.
- Ray argues that Kevin Owens' refusal to win the championship through Sami Zayn's interference mirrors the legendary Von Erics vs. Freebirds angle, suggesting this could be a turning point that ignites major storyline developments.
- The hosts note that Cody's use of condescending language, ego-driven presentation (embroidered shirts, neck tattoo), and occasional pretentious word choices like 'tropes' create subtle character traits that could believably translate into a heel persona.
- LaGreca observes that CM Punk leaned into the Toronto crowd's boos rather than fighting them, which is the logical choice for a performer when the narrative has positioned another wrestler as the babyface.
- The hosts assert that Paul Heyman's significance to WWE storytelling comes from his role as 'connective tissue' that can align with multiple wrestlers and hold numerous storyline threads together simultaneously.
Topics
Transcript
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