Rick Uccino

Is this a slow burn that is going to ultimately turn Cody Rhodes heel and do it naturally instead of doing some kind of like a shock turn like they did with John Cena, where you do have Cody Rhodes still as like your top merchandise guy, your top baby face, ultimate company guy.

You know, I think a heel turn like that would have to happen naturally.

It certainly does feel like they're trending in that direction, to your point.

We had somebody call into the show on Friday when I was filling in for Coach, who was talking about how he went to a show with his daughter, and she desperately wanted the Cody Rhodes weight belt, and he didn't have one that night, but he made sure to find her in the crowd and took a selfie with her, and that's something that

He's never going to forget that Cody did that.

His daughter's never going to forget that Cody did that.

Obviously, they have the proof and the fact that they have the photo.

But they had the sign up that said, hey, we're here for Cody's weight belt.

And he didn't have it, but he made sure to give them something, to give them a memory.

And that is kind of some of the things that, at least on screen, I think we have started to see fall by the wayside.

One of the things that really struck me in the promo that Cody had last night

He's talking about how he used to, when he was feuding with Roman, how Paul Heyman would tell him everything that comes with being the WWE champion.

I'm not intimidated by that.

But it's what Paul Heyman didn't say about being a WWE champion that has stuck with him in the fact that it's addicting.

When you have the top prize in the business and you get everything that comes with it,

it's something that you don't want to give up no matter what.

And it's like, is that what is causing this slow attitude adjustment?

Here's another movie reference for you.

Is this the one ring from Lord of the Rings at this point where Cody Rhodes is Smeagol that has gotten his hands on this and now the WWE Championship is slowly transforming him into Gollum?

That is his precious that he will...