Cody Rhodes to win WWE Championship at WrestleMania 40? The seeds have already been planted!

Cody Rhodes won this year's Royal Rumble in his triumphant return after seven months. He went up against Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania 39 in an unsuccessful bout.

On the RAW after WrestleMania, fans eagerly awaited what was to come for The American Nightmare. He challenged The Tribal Chief to a rematch but was turned down by Paul Heyman. A tag team match was announced for the main event of RAW with Brock Lesnar as his partner against The Tribal Chief and Solo Sikoa. However, things took a turn when The Beast pounced on his tag team partner and launched a vicious assault, much to Cody Rhodes' surprise.

As the wrestling world looked on with utter shock, some instantly pointed out the similarities to The Beast's turn on John Cena a few years ago. WrestleMania 28 concluded with The Rock defeating John Cena in their first-ever clash. On the RAW that followed, the Cenation Leader called out The People's Champion only to be met by a face from the past, Brock Lesnar.

When Cena tried to shake hands with The Beast, he was on the receiving end of an F5. The parallels between Cena and Rhodes' run-in with The Beast could result in the 37-year-old fulfilling his goal of becoming WWE Champion at WrestleMania 40.

Since his WWE return a year ago, Rhodes has been determined to have championship gold around his waist. His rivalry with Seth Rollins spanned over three Premium Live Events before he tore his pectoral muscle, resulting in him being out of action for a good while.

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Could Cody Rhodes face Brock Lesnar at Backlash?

Brock Lesnar is on a part-time schedule that enables him to surprise fans with sporadic appearances. Following his win at WrestleMania 39 against Omos, his feat of strength remains unmatched.

The events of RAW seemingly laid the foundation for a rivalry between Cody Rhodes and The Beast. The two have never faced each other in the squared circle, making WWE Backlash an apt stage for a first-ever singles match.

Not many have been able to withstand Brock Lesnar's impressive feat of strength and emerge victorious. A few notable names who have garnered the upper hand and defeated The Beast are the Cenation Leader, The Tribal Chief, Goldberg, Triple H, and Drew McIntyre, among others.

The concluding moment on RAW showcased that it is a matter of time before we see Cody Rhodes go head-to-head with The Beast.