WWE Stars Who Could Dethrone Cody Rhodes in 2024

When Cody Rhodes defeated Roman Reigns to become the WWE and universal champion, known collectively as the Undisputed WWE Championship, he became the company's biggest star.

The momentous victory at WrestleMania 40 marked the end of a two-year saga for Rhodes. However, the wrestling community has already shifted its focus to the intriguing question of who will be the next Superstar to dethrone the current champion.

Here are the Superstars who are most likely to become undisputed WWE champion in 2024.

The Rock

Solo Sikoa may believe he is the new Tribal Chief, but the man who has the most legitimate claim to the Head of the Table moniker is The Rock.

He was victorious at WrestleMania 40, while Reigns failed to defend his titles successfully.

Add in The Great One's peculiar interaction with Rhodes the night after WrestleMania, when he handed him something and set the stage for a future match, and the man most likely to take the new champion's gold is the WWE legend.

If the ultimate goal is to book a clash between Reigns and The Rock at WrestleMania 41 for the world title and the right to be called the Tribal Chief, then it's clear that The Final Boss must be the one to defeat Rhodes.

While The Rock returning at SummerSlam to fight for the title is possible, his schedule in Hollywood would prevent him from holding the belt for that long. In the world of WWE, though, anything can happen.

A more likely outcome is what the WWE Universe witnessed in The Rock's battle with CM Punk in 2013, which included a thrilling title change at the Royal Rumble and a nail-biting successful defense at Elimination Chamber, before the eventual fight against Reigns at WrestleMania 41.

Roman Reigns

The segment on SmackDown in which Sikoa began to show signs of taking over The Bloodline was met by chants for Reigns.

When The Tribal Chief returns, he will be celebrated by most despite his character using heel tactics for the past four years.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and the WWE Universe will herald Reigns upon his return, similar to Triple H when he returned from an injury in 2002.

Reigns is due a rematch with Rhodes, but he should stay away until Survivor Series, giving the current champion ample time to defend his title successfully. In November, the Tribal Chief should return and win back his championship on his first try.

Reigns would then be able to fight Rhodes again at the Royal Rumble, successfully dispersing the challenger and setting the stage for his WrestleMania 41 match against 2025 Royal Rumble winner, The Rock.

WWE Creative seems dead set on The Rock vs. Reigns, so letting Reigns defeat Rhodes and then Johnson clean in the middle of the ring would create a massive moment worthy of the WrestleMania 41 stage.

Gunther

If WWE's creative decision is that The Rock and Reigns do not need the Undisputed WWE Championship on the line, it should be Gunther who gets a shot against Rhodes and steals the belt to solidify his spot as a top star on the main roster.

The battle for control of The Bloodline will be incredibly fierce and does not need the title. Instead, Gunther should start his own story and elevate his game from the Intercontinental Championship level to the world title echelon.

Gunther has been one of the best in-ring workers in WWE since his arrival, and his development on the mic has resulted in a heel character who gets heat every time he enters a building. He would be the perfect challenger for Rhodes and the ideal man to take the champion's gold.

The American Nightmare deserves to fight several top names through the summer, but it will be the Austrian who goes on a winning streak against former world champions, culminating in a series of bouts and an eventual victory over Rhodes at Survivor Series.

Like most faces, the thrill is in the chase, so Rhodes should lose to Gunther at Survivor Series, but he could win the title back at WrestleMania 41.

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