Cody Rhodes\u2019 SmackDown promo addressing Pat McAfee was apparently not part of the show.<\/p>\n
PWInsider\u2019s Mike Johnson<\/a> reported that the segment \u201cwas not listed internally on the planned rundown for the show,\u201d and some believed that Rhodes was \u201cshooting\u201d about TKO, WWE\u2019s parent company, inserting McAfee into the storyline.<\/p>\n On Friday, Rhodes attacked Randy Orton, his WrestleMania opponent at the start of SmackDown. McAfee, who had seemingly moved on from WWE<\/a>, showed up and kicked Rhodes in the groin.<\/p>\n During the ensuing two-on-one assault, McAfee said he represented \u201cforgotten\u201d fans, criticized the current product, and called Rhodes a \u201cpuppet champion\u201d and \u201ceverything we hate.\u201d<\/p>\n Just before 10 p.m. ET, Rhodes went on social media and requested time to respond<\/a>. He returned immediately after the WWE Tag Team Championship match and cut a brief promo, telling McAfee and everyone who represents him to \u201ckiss my ass!\u201d<\/p>\n The line could be interpreted as a reference to Ari Emanuel, McAfee\u2019s agent and the CEO of TKO, as reports also suggest McAfee\u2019s involvement was a corporate decision from TKO<\/a> \u2014 and possibly Emanuel \u2014 rather than WWE creative.<\/p>\n While Rhodes\u2019 promo wasn\u2019t on the internal rundown, that doesn\u2019t mean it wasn\u2019t planned, as WWE has kept major angles quiet before.<\/p>\n Last year, creative head Paul Levesque oversaw a Seth Rollins injury angle that few knew was a work, which later became the focal point<\/a> of the WWE and Netflix reality series Unreal.<\/p>\n Notably, Rhodes turned to social media to request airtime. While one might expect him to approach Levesque directly, addressing fans publicly may have been a strategic move to encourage them to stay tuned for his response later in the show.<\/p>\n