Cody Rhodes as good as CM Punk?

At the moment this may sound a little controversial but I happened to catch Cody's promo on SD this week with Dibiase and I have to say I am more and more impressed every week with Cody's new character and his committment to the character. He really sells it and gets a lot of heat for it. While his wrestling ability may not be quite on Punk's level (he is still the supreme performer of the WWE imo) his character development and the heat he draws is imo. He and Punk stick out to me at the moment as being the two most well rounded, performed and entertaining characters in the WWE. I really hope Cody is allowed to build on this momentum and break through that glass ceiling.

Thoughts?

He is a potential star and is doing great just now but at this moment he isn't near CM Punk, Punk has been a star turn since the Summer of Punk in 05 to the star man in ECW for 2 years before doing a star turn on SD in 09 and 10, Rhodes' single career is just beginning

Cody needs to have a slow progression path - not the usual WWE way now of an immediate push into the world title picture with little to back it up.

He should be in the mix for the IC/US titles alongside guys like Barrett, Bryan, Sin Cara, Ziggler, McIntyre, Kingston, Jackson, DiBiase and TATSU!

Then he can really build up a position and fan base in the company while perfecting his character as well.

the-gaffer wrote:He is a potential star and is doing great just now but at this moment he isn't near CM Punk, Punk has been a star turn since the Summer of Punk in 05 to the star man in ECW for 2 years before doing a star turn on SD in 09 and 10, Rhodes' single career is just beginning

While I agree Rhodes has a long way to go yet; Punk's character has been stiffled by the WWE since he was buried by Taker at HIAC 09. Punk does everything well and is the consummate professional but he really needs to break away from the Nexus if he stays with the WWE and resigns a new contract. He's been peddling his 'cult leader' gimmick now for going on two years and having spent most of that time as a leader of a faction I think its time he's allowed to take the reins off and shine on his own. I really wouldn't mind the connection to the factions if those factions were successfully booked with Punk as world champion but sadly neither faction has been given much credibility and Punk has found himself out of favour with the 'powers that be'; he just can't seem to find himself in the inner circle of the top 5 guys.

While I'd agree that the burial of Punk by Taker hurt him I think some of his best work came after that with the formation of the SES

oh yeah don't get me wrong Punk is phenomenal (get what I did there! ) his sermon on the matt at the RR10 was brilliant as were many of his promos during the formation of the SES. I just would like to see either Nexus become the new Evolution holding all the belts and giving the members a real rub or disband it and unshackle Punk to move back into the world title picture.

No-one in the Nexus deserve a title apart from Punk, I'd like to see them keep Nexus but boot out Hennig and Otunga and Batistas boy and start from scratch and get Drew McIntyre in and Ryder & Hawkins as the tag team and I'd make them cool heels with the long term plan to turn them face

Rhodes is no where near Punks level in terms of ability. Granted at the minute Punk is being completely misused by the WWE, whereas Rhodes is receiving a big push on Smackdown.

Rhodes has got potential but I'm not sure where there now going with him, since his fued end with Rey he's lost a bit of momentum.

Punk will be continue to be under utilised unless he tows the company line & signs a new contract

I like Rhodes but agree with the above, he is nowhere near Punk.

Yeah, Rhodes is not as good as Punk. I think the difference is Cody needs the right gimmick to get over, whereas Punk can make anything work.

Love the direction they're going with Rhodes at the moment though. With Christian Bale's portrail of Patrick Bateman, they have the perfect template to model his character on: an obsession with material things and image, and bouts of spontaneous violence against those who threaten it. It's a shame Justin Gabriel is tied up with The Corre as he would be a great opponent for Rhodes to feud with right now. Rhodes could become jealous of Gabriel's looks, and they could have that 'business card' moment where Rhodes snaps on Gabriel for some ridiculously shallow reason. They'd have some great matches too, as both are more than capable in-ring.

They really need to get Goldust involved with Rhodes at some point as well. It writes itself really with big brother seeing little brother lose control and becoming a danger to everyone, and needing to be stopped. Goldust would surely be happy to put over his brother at this stage of his career, and with Rhodes cruelly and viciously going over in the feud it would surely build him up as a potential main eventer from then on.

does anyone have a clue on what the angle with him and ted dibiase is going to be part from reforming there tag team.
sorry dont watch raw or smackdown that much

I didn't watch SD the other night so can't even give you an opinion on it at the moment, I'll try find it on youtube