Heyman says Cody Rhodes is a bigger star after losing at WrestleMania

Paul Heyman is one of the best bullshitters in the pro wrestling business, and those skills were on full display during an interview backstage at this week’s Raw with BT Sport’s Ariel Helwani.

When asked about the negative reaction to Cody Rhodes’ loss against Roman Reigns in the main event of WrestleMania 39, Paul argued that Cody is a bigger star now than he would have been if he won the match:

“The response tonight [on Raw] to Cody Rhodes, which was louder than the response last week to Cody Rhodes, which was a response more passionate tonight for Cody Rhodes, which was a response of an audience that believes in Cody Rhodes this week more than they did last week when they hung their hopes and their dreams on him. And he didn’t disappoint them, We disappointed them. We took that away from Cody Rhodes. Roman Reigns took that away from Cody Rhodes and the audience. And they blame Roman Reigns for it. And they appreciate how close Cody came. And they know now, they know, the next time Cody Rhodes steps in the ring with Roman Reigns, this will be the one.

That’s the business. That’s the business at it’s very best. That’s promotion at its very best. That’s storytelling at its very best.

That’s what you want. You want the challenger to come out a bigger star than he would have been if he had won the championship, because then where do you go from there? What’s the story to tell? Now you know the story; it’s Cody’s redemption. He’s coming back from what was just taken from him, from the defeat that he suffered that he didn’t deserve to have to have inflicted upon him.”

When asked in a follow-up question about the timing for Cody to win being perfect at WrestleMania, Heyman said of course that’s how it appeared to line up, because that’s the promotional business. People aren’t going to buy a match if the challenger is mediocre. But if they think the stars are aligned where this has to be the one, then they’ll pay money to see it happen.

Do you agree with Heyman’s load of bullshit on this one, or is he just saying what he has to in order to justify a questionable booking decision? Let us know in the comments below, Cagesiders.