Cody Rhodes picks up a win and turns heel in his Ring of Honor debut at Final Battle

Well that was unexpected, and makes the Cody (Rhodes) indie super-tour a lot more interesting.

The former WWE Superstar debuted Ring of Honor (ROH) at their Final Battle pay-per-view (PPV) in New York City tonight. He turned in a solid, approximately 13 minute affair working with former ROH World champ Jay Lethal. The match was set-up by a promo from Christopher Daniels & Frankie Kazarian putting over both men and Cody’s father Dusty, which closed by saying Cody now needed to prove himself in ROH.

It was the bout’s conclusion, and aftermath, where business picked up. Lethal was trapped in Cody’s American Nightmare submission, but made the ropes. Rhodes attempted a few pinning manuevers on either side of a Jay’s Lethal Injection finisher, and bumped referee Todd Sinclair on the last one. That created an opening for him to connect with a low blow to set up the Cross Rhodes and score the win.

He wasn’t done there. Lest this be confused with him simply adding shades of gray to his character or something, Cody flipped off Lethal, threw streamers back at a hot Hammerstein Ballroom crowd, poured beer on Sinclair and even got into it with Steve Corino at the announce table.

Definitely looks like Cody is sticking around ROH for a while longer. As things got back to normal for the next match, Corino was teasing a storyline, saying “the father” said evil was coming.

Do you like this turn of events, Cagesiders?