Cody Rhodes went to hell and back to defeat Kevin Owens in a harrowing Ladder Match. The brutality took its toll as The American Nightmare suffered multiple injuries.
The Undisputed WWE Champion didn't appear on the Royal Rumble Post-Show press conference and his immediate future remains uncertain. But fans will have some answers on the upcoming edition of SmackDown when Rhodes appears to address the wrestling fan base.
However, there could be a scenario where the injuries picked up by Cody Rhodes could force him to take time off and thus vacate the Undisputed WWE Championship and also miss WrestleMania 41. In this case, Triple H would have to find a suitable replacement for Rhodes.
In this article, we will look at three such names who could be possible replacements for Cody Rhodes going into WrestleMania 41:
If WWE wants to turn Rhodes' legitimate injury into a storyline, they could have Kevin Owens brutally assault The American Nightmare to write the champion off television.
KO's motivations for putting Rhodes on the shelf are fairly apparent as the two stars have been at each other's throats for months. Owens could then quickly win the vacated WWE Championship or "steal" the belt again.
The Prizefighter could walk into The Show of Shows with the top prize, potentially for a colossal showdown against Randy Orton.
Jey Uso shocked John Cena to win the Men's Royal Rumble Match. The Champ was quick to bounce back from the loss as he declared his intentions to win this year's Men's Elimination Chamber Match.
Cody Rhodes' injury could force Triple H to execute a new plan. The six-man Elimination Chamber Match could be used to determine the vacant Undisputed WWE Championship.
The Leader of The Cenation could then grasp the opportunity to win his 17th World Title and head into The Show of Shows with the top prize.
On RAW's Netflix premiere, The Rock seemingly abandoned his 'Final Boss' persona by acknowledging Cody Rhodes, and possibly ending their year-long grudge. However, desperate times may force WWE to revert to Rocky's heel gimmick.
If Rhodes has to relinquish the title, The Final Boss could come out and take it for himself. Considering the power and influence he holds in the company, this is not unlikely.
With The Rock as the Undisputed WWE Champion, Roman Reigns could complete his redemption arc by defeating his cousin at 'Mania.