3 reasons WWE could turn Cody Rhodes heel following WrestleMania 39

The main event for WWE's biggest show of the year is set in stone as Cody Rhodes looks to finish the story and dethrone the current Undisputed Universal Champion, Roman Reigns.

Unless WWE is planning to troll us with a swerve, many wrestling fans would agree that there's no better way for this tale to end than with Rhodes standing tall over a fallen Tribal Chief as WrestleMania goes off the air.

But if that's how the story ends, how will the new one begin the following night on Raw? Will Cody continue to reign as the company's main protagonist, or will live long enough to see himself become a villain?

Here are 3 reasons WWE could turn Cody Rhodes heel following WrestleMania 39.

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3. WWE might turn Cody Rhodes heel before the fans turn on him first

It might seem like there's no way on earth fans would boo Cody Rhodes at this point, but when you recollect the past, it becomes a little easier to believe.

During AEW's early days, The American Nightmare was viewed as the poster child of Tony Khan's company. Much like his current run in WWE, Rhodes was booked to look like a wrestler who could overcome any amount of hardship, trial, or tribulation in order to achieve whatever he set his heart and mind to.

As history shows, this sort of attitude won him over with AEW fans during the company's infancy. But soon after, fans began to turn on Rhodes, as the cheers slowly turned to jeers.

While the AEW crowd and the WWE crowd aren't exactly the same, and each promotion attracts a different fanbase, this won't be the first time the WWE Universe turns on the intended protagonist.

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2. It isn't what's expected and sometimes shock value elicits intrigue

As stated in the introduction, Rhodes is expected to come out victorious in his efforts to defeat Roman Reigns at this year's WrestleMania.

We can go a step further and predict that Monday Night Raw may very well open up with Cody Rhodes, Kevin Owens, and Sami Zayn sharing a moment together in the ring with championship titles as the fans cheer with praise and great adulation for the three men.

While it would definitely be in poor taste to up and have Cody turn to the dark side that exact same night, a heel turn might serve as an unexpected surprise down the road.

Moreover, it would keep fans second-guessing what happens next. In that regard, it could be compared to Jey Uso and Sami Zayn's spinoff arch in the Bloodline angle.

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1. It prevents his character from becoming stale

During John Cena's tenure as a full-time WWE Superstar, the Cenation Leader's run was harshly criticized for being too much of the same thing week in and week out. Similarly, Roman Reigns' initial rise to the top in 2015 was despised for pretty much the same exact reason.

It's obvious that the company wants to book Cody Rhodes as the next face of the company as Reigns' successor, and the fans are on board with that... for the time being.

As you may recall, a certain resident from West Newbury was once poised to be the face of the company as well. Prior to his rise to the top, the up-and-coming superstar became known for rocking steel padlock chains and throwback jerseys whilst belittling his foes on the mic with freestyle disses.

The budding star would soon turn into the man we now know as John Cena, and while his transition from The Dr. of Thuganimics to Big Match John was initially met with praise, the late 2000s proved to be quite the polarizing time in WWE for the 16-time world champion.