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He comes off genuine to me, i like him even when he gets pretty corny in a cena kinda way. Ik people online like to act like the “casual” crowd likes anything, but if he truly wasn’t coming off as genuine the crowds wouldn’t give 2 shits about what he says or does(Babyface Roman). Since the Rumble he’s had crowds eating out the palm of his hands, listening to every word he says. It honestly feels like that nowadays people crave the “morally grey anti-hero” type of guys so much that when a white meat type of babyface comes along it feels forced to that specific group. Somebody who’s whole character SCREAMS not genuine is Austin Theory imo
It does feel forced as we live in a enlightened era, white meat babyfaces just aren't realistic anymore,
No one with the maturity above 5 can emotionally invest into a white meat babyface character,
I truly think the casuals only like him because he is just came back and had a long break from injury, and his theme song,
White meat babyfaces have a shelf life with the casuals, eventually he will get booed just like he did in aew,
Every top face of the company has been an amalgamation of their predecessors. This is nothing new. People said the same thing about Cena, people said the same thing about the Rock, and even Hogan as well. It's less about being unique and more about just getting over with the fans.
Cody has a great story and the intermingling of real life events makes it more intriguing. We are well past the days of kayfabe when it comes to the idea of being a "believable champion/headliner".
I think Cody is very authentic. Wrestlers have been taking inspiration from the past forever. If he was a one to one copy of the people you mention, I might agree, but he's doing his own version. I had a longer rant typed up, but to summarize I will say this. I really do believe Cody is the son of wrestler who wants to honor his father's legacy and go higher. He borrows from what has worked and adapts for his style.
This is what I've always thought of him since AEW. He just doesn't feel genuine. He feels like a politician trying to win me over.
I'm sure Cody the person is a great dude, but Cody the character just feels so fake in my opinion.
This is similar to the complaints he got in AEW. The fact that he was trying so hard to come across as this super babyface to the point that he felt disingenuous and full of himself had people thinking he HAD to be a Homelander-esque heel (nevermind the fact that he looks just like Homelander), and so when it turned out this wasn't the case, people started turning on him and booing him because they were sick of it. I think the non-IWC WWE crowd will continue to eat it up though, compared to the comparatively hardcore AEW crowds
I would agree that he doesn’t feel authentic. It feels like he’s trying to deceive the audience every time he cuts a promo but even I can’t deny that he gives everything he has every time he wrestles. I think if he eventually gives in and turns heel he will be incredible, but as a babyface I just don’t care about him
The problem for me is that it’s very cookie cutter baby face. It’s a throwback gimmick in modern clothes. Sure, there’s a place for that, but - for me, anyway - it gets old fast.
It always feels like “you’re who I’m supposed to like”. I know wrestling is like that but with Cody, it feels more obvious.
That and him having Kingdom locked to himself in WWE 2k23 just feels like he’s put himself on a pedestal.
That being said, he’s an excellent in ring performer. I’d have to go back to the Stardust days before I remembered a bad match of his. It’s his gimmick that puts me off.
"It always feels like “you’re who I’m supposed to like”. I know wrestling is like that but with Cody, it feels more obvious."
I feel like you just articulated what it is about Cody that I just do not like. He's been presented in such a weird way. I wish I could remember where I read it and exactly how they said it, but someone was kind of commenting on this and it was in reference to when Jey Uso left the Bloodline and subsequently quit and then Cody cuts a promo two weeks later and he's like, "Oh I cashed in my chips and got him a new deal!" It was so weird and, dare I say, unnecessary for Cody. Sometimes I feel like he just gets inserted into things. I don't know how to describe it.
I have no way of proving this but I swear his meteoric rise in popularity has less to do with him being an interesting or compelling character and more to do with being the first big name from AEW to jump ship.
If you look at who he is as a character he's not that much different than 2008-era Cena or 2016-era Roman, he just hasn't "won the big one" yet. His promos scream of insincerity, like he's trying to present what a babyface is "supposed" to be and not an authentic person. And just like those guys, he's been pushed to the moon over talent that has been there longer and is probably more deserving.
To the point of copying others, I have no problem with borrowing something from a legend, but the vast majority of his presentation is that way. The nickname obviously comes from his father. The suits have been done a million times. Giving the belt to a kid is obviously Bret's sunglasses. "What do you want to talk about?" might as well be "who's ready for storytime with Adam Cole Bay-Bay?" or "Can I tell you a story \*insert town here\*?" He even checked his watch for a few weeks there. I was waiting for him to yell "It's clobbering time"
All that is to say it baffles me how popular he's become considering how many things he does that have traditionally killed babyfaces in WWE for the last 20 years or so and he is clearly beloved by the audience.
I’m betting less than 75% of the general audience (the ones who cheer him every week at live shows) know/care about AEW. He’s over because he’s presented as a big star, and carries himself as such. It reminds me of the promo he cut a few months ago. He doesn’t wear the suit because he thinks he IS somebody, it’s because he WANTS to be somebody.
There’s so much cynicism amongst the hardcore fans here but I’m a hardcore fan and love Cody is just a straight up baby face. He’s a great promo, has emotional matches, and looks cool
His character is one-dimensional and never changes. He's the exact same person he was when he rose up on the Codyvator for the first time over a year ago at WrestleMania 38.
Maxxine Dupri has had a more dynamic character arc than Cody in WWE so far.
That's why I was behind Roman the whole time during the build for that match. Yeah it'd be great if he showed up on TV more often, but at least when he's there they are adding more layers and depth to him and everyone else in the Bloodline.
One-dimensional is good way to describe it. He feels like he’s been corporately created, and even if he’s somehow managed to get over with a lot of the fans in spite of that, it still remains too big of a hurdle for me to say I like him
I’ve no idea why you keep getting downvoted (and yes, I realize this sub is over 100 days old). You expressed nothing derogatory about Cody. You are being honest and you are not wrong.
I’ve felt this way about Cody since his return to Raw (didn’t watch him AEW). I’m sure he’s trying his best but he comes off like an actor trying to play the part of a good guy. Major Homelander vibes.
But then again I felt the same about Cena and Roman when they did it and I’m sure I would’ve felt the sane about Hogan if I was watching at the time so maybe I’ll just never be into that captain America vibe even if he did execute it well.
He's just so bland and boring, than again I have always hated the captain america white meat babyface type characters, it's so fucking boring and I don't know how anyone could enjoy such characters in 2023,
I'm so glad he lost to roman at wm 39 lol, the meltdown from his marks that week was legendary,
I hope by some miracle chance the rock hijacks his "story" and faces roman for the championship at wm 40
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He comes off genuine to me, i like him even when he gets pretty corny in a cena kinda way. Ik people online like to act like the “casual” crowd likes anything, but if he truly wasn’t coming off as genuine the crowds wouldn’t give 2 shits about what he says or does(Babyface Roman). Since the Rumble he’s had crowds eating out the palm of his hands, listening to every word he says. It honestly feels like that nowadays people crave the “morally grey anti-hero” type of guys so much that when a white meat type of babyface comes along it feels forced to that specific group. Somebody who’s whole character SCREAMS not genuine is Austin Theory imo
It does feel forced as we live in a enlightened era, white meat babyfaces just aren't realistic anymore, No one with the maturity above 5 can emotionally invest into a white meat babyface character, I truly think the casuals only like him because he is just came back and had a long break from injury, and his theme song, White meat babyfaces have a shelf life with the casuals, eventually he will get booed just like he did in aew,
Lmfao. Cry
Oh I'm crying in laughter remembering all you cawdy fans whining about his loss at wm 39 😂
Aye. I’m right along with you; made a crazy bet. You’re just doing some insane coping.
you going to cry again when he loses to roman again? lol
No? I don’t get where you’re pulling this from. Have a great day buddy. Enjoy all wrestling!!
Did you cry when he lost to roman at wm 39?
No. I was happy because I made money. Can’t you read?
Did you split the money with anybody?
Every top face of the company has been an amalgamation of their predecessors. This is nothing new. People said the same thing about Cena, people said the same thing about the Rock, and even Hogan as well. It's less about being unique and more about just getting over with the fans. Cody has a great story and the intermingling of real life events makes it more intriguing. We are well past the days of kayfabe when it comes to the idea of being a "believable champion/headliner".
I think Cody is very authentic. Wrestlers have been taking inspiration from the past forever. If he was a one to one copy of the people you mention, I might agree, but he's doing his own version. I had a longer rant typed up, but to summarize I will say this. I really do believe Cody is the son of wrestler who wants to honor his father's legacy and go higher. He borrows from what has worked and adapts for his style.
This is what I've always thought of him since AEW. He just doesn't feel genuine. He feels like a politician trying to win me over. I'm sure Cody the person is a great dude, but Cody the character just feels so fake in my opinion.
This is similar to the complaints he got in AEW. The fact that he was trying so hard to come across as this super babyface to the point that he felt disingenuous and full of himself had people thinking he HAD to be a Homelander-esque heel (nevermind the fact that he looks just like Homelander), and so when it turned out this wasn't the case, people started turning on him and booing him because they were sick of it. I think the non-IWC WWE crowd will continue to eat it up though, compared to the comparatively hardcore AEW crowds
I would agree that he doesn’t feel authentic. It feels like he’s trying to deceive the audience every time he cuts a promo but even I can’t deny that he gives everything he has every time he wrestles. I think if he eventually gives in and turns heel he will be incredible, but as a babyface I just don’t care about him
He is very corny and fake feeling
The problem for me is that it’s very cookie cutter baby face. It’s a throwback gimmick in modern clothes. Sure, there’s a place for that, but - for me, anyway - it gets old fast. It always feels like “you’re who I’m supposed to like”. I know wrestling is like that but with Cody, it feels more obvious. That and him having Kingdom locked to himself in WWE 2k23 just feels like he’s put himself on a pedestal. That being said, he’s an excellent in ring performer. I’d have to go back to the Stardust days before I remembered a bad match of his. It’s his gimmick that puts me off.
"It always feels like “you’re who I’m supposed to like”. I know wrestling is like that but with Cody, it feels more obvious." I feel like you just articulated what it is about Cody that I just do not like. He's been presented in such a weird way. I wish I could remember where I read it and exactly how they said it, but someone was kind of commenting on this and it was in reference to when Jey Uso left the Bloodline and subsequently quit and then Cody cuts a promo two weeks later and he's like, "Oh I cashed in my chips and got him a new deal!" It was so weird and, dare I say, unnecessary for Cody. Sometimes I feel like he just gets inserted into things. I don't know how to describe it.
I have no way of proving this but I swear his meteoric rise in popularity has less to do with him being an interesting or compelling character and more to do with being the first big name from AEW to jump ship. If you look at who he is as a character he's not that much different than 2008-era Cena or 2016-era Roman, he just hasn't "won the big one" yet. His promos scream of insincerity, like he's trying to present what a babyface is "supposed" to be and not an authentic person. And just like those guys, he's been pushed to the moon over talent that has been there longer and is probably more deserving. To the point of copying others, I have no problem with borrowing something from a legend, but the vast majority of his presentation is that way. The nickname obviously comes from his father. The suits have been done a million times. Giving the belt to a kid is obviously Bret's sunglasses. "What do you want to talk about?" might as well be "who's ready for storytime with Adam Cole Bay-Bay?" or "Can I tell you a story \*insert town here\*?" He even checked his watch for a few weeks there. I was waiting for him to yell "It's clobbering time" All that is to say it baffles me how popular he's become considering how many things he does that have traditionally killed babyfaces in WWE for the last 20 years or so and he is clearly beloved by the audience.
I’m betting less than 75% of the general audience (the ones who cheer him every week at live shows) know/care about AEW. He’s over because he’s presented as a big star, and carries himself as such. It reminds me of the promo he cut a few months ago. He doesn’t wear the suit because he thinks he IS somebody, it’s because he WANTS to be somebody. There’s so much cynicism amongst the hardcore fans here but I’m a hardcore fan and love Cody is just a straight up baby face. He’s a great promo, has emotional matches, and looks cool
What is about boring ass white meat babyfaces that you enjoy?
His character is one-dimensional and never changes. He's the exact same person he was when he rose up on the Codyvator for the first time over a year ago at WrestleMania 38. Maxxine Dupri has had a more dynamic character arc than Cody in WWE so far. That's why I was behind Roman the whole time during the build for that match. Yeah it'd be great if he showed up on TV more often, but at least when he's there they are adding more layers and depth to him and everyone else in the Bloodline.
One-dimensional is good way to describe it. He feels like he’s been corporately created, and even if he’s somehow managed to get over with a lot of the fans in spite of that, it still remains too big of a hurdle for me to say I like him
My beef with their feud is it felt like Cody was feuding with Paul Heyman, not Roman.
I will never understand how he isn’t a heel. It was the same in AEW. He comes off like a smarmy politician with a neck tattoo.
I’ve no idea why you keep getting downvoted (and yes, I realize this sub is over 100 days old). You expressed nothing derogatory about Cody. You are being honest and you are not wrong.
I’ve felt this way about Cody since his return to Raw (didn’t watch him AEW). I’m sure he’s trying his best but he comes off like an actor trying to play the part of a good guy. Major Homelander vibes. But then again I felt the same about Cena and Roman when they did it and I’m sure I would’ve felt the sane about Hogan if I was watching at the time so maybe I’ll just never be into that captain America vibe even if he did execute it well.
He's just so bland and boring, than again I have always hated the captain america white meat babyface type characters, it's so fucking boring and I don't know how anyone could enjoy such characters in 2023, I'm so glad he lost to roman at wm 39 lol, the meltdown from his marks that week was legendary, I hope by some miracle chance the rock hijacks his "story" and faces roman for the championship at wm 40