Cody Rhodes SmackDown promo may have been a shoot

Cody Rhodes’ SmackDown promo addressing Pat McAfee was apparently not part of the show.

PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reported that the segment “was not listed internally on the planned rundown for the show,” and some believed that Rhodes was “shooting” about TKO, WWE’s parent company, inserting McAfee into the storyline.

On Friday, Rhodes attacked Randy Orton, his WrestleMania opponent at the start of SmackDown. McAfee, who had seemingly moved on from WWE, showed up and kicked Rhodes in the groin.

During the ensuing two-on-one assault, McAfee said he represented “forgotten” fans, criticized the current product, and called Rhodes a “puppet champion” and “everything we hate.”

Just before 10 p.m. ET, Rhodes went on social media and requested time to respond. He returned immediately after the WWE Tag Team Championship match and cut a brief promo, telling McAfee and everyone who represents him to “kiss my ass!”

The line could be interpreted as a reference to Ari Emanuel, McAfee’s agent and the CEO of TKO, as reports also suggest McAfee’s involvement was a corporate decision from TKO — and possibly Emanuel — rather than WWE creative.

While Rhodes’ promo wasn’t on the internal rundown, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t planned, as WWE has kept major angles quiet before.

Last year, creative head Paul Levesque oversaw a Seth Rollins injury angle that few knew was a work, which later became the focal point of the WWE and Netflix reality series Unreal.

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.

The segment and McAfee’s WrestleMania involvement drew criticism from fans, though some are waiting to see where it goes. With reports suggesting the decision came from its corporate overseers, WWE seemingly has a perfect excuse for unhappy fans: Don’t blame us. Blame TKO.