Backstage Update on Cody Rhodes’ Smackdown Promo

As previously reported, Cody Rhodes’ promo last night on Smackdown, responding to the reveal of Pat McAfee as Randy Orton’s secret associate, was not listed internally on the show’s rundown. It was noted that some of Rhodes’ comments were believed to be shooting on TKO and Pat McAfee changing the planned storyline.

Now comes word from BodySlam+ that Rhodes was in fact told to shoot from the hip by members of the creative team. The reason the promo wasn’t listed internally is because there was no plan to do it until the creative team saw the social media response. And indeed, what Rhodes said did stem from resentment at last-minute TKO intervention in storylines this close to WrestleMania, over several years. Certainly nobody who watched WrestleMania 41 can forget the creative fizzle that was Travis Scott’s involvement in the main event of night 2, when everyone was expecting The Rock.

As for Disco Inferno taking fire, that’s some animosity that has existed since at least 2018, when he commented on a picture of Rhodes’ injured face that nobody knows how to work any more.

Stop. You know nothing. You have drawn 0 dollars. No fan has ever left a show thinking about you. You were lucky to be a juiced up double-lifer "over with the boys" type in an era where you hid in plain sight coasting on others' success. Couldn't hang then, can't get booked now. https://t.co/0kiDAgyhlT

— Cody Rhodes (@CodyRhodes) April 2, 2018

Disco Inferno, never one to remain quiet, responded shortly after Smackdown to Cody Rhodes, with what sounded like only a semi-serious threat of a “tushy kickin'”

Clearly the plan was to make Rhodes a less-bland hero and Orton a more hateable villain. We’ll see how it plays out.