Writer Claims Cody Rhodes’ Reaction “Didn’t Help” Infamous WWE Segment

A famous Cody Rhodes segment looked very different on paper.

On the February 2nd episode of SmackDown, Cody Rhodes said he was stepping aside to let The Rock challenge Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40.

The American Nightmare looked like a broken man as he delivered the promo — something that didn’t go unnoticed by fans. Over the next three days, there was a huge backlash online, and Rhodes was reinstated to the WrestleMania main event with The Rock turning heel instead.

While appearing on The Ringer Wrestling Show, Brian Gewirtz who has worked closely with the Hollywood star for decades, said the segment should have played out differently. Gewirtz noted that at least in theory Rhodes’ promo should have been more positive, but instead he “looked like someone shot his dog.”

“I will say Cody (Rhodes) is a human being who is genuine and real and he wears his heart and emotions on his sleeve and I will say, in Alabama, certainly, even if you tell me, dude, that will never work. That’s stupid to even propose it.

But the idea was supposed to be, again — it’s like a Nixon-Kennedy debate a little bit where it’s like if you read the transcript, you’re like, oh, Nixon kicked his ass. If you watch the actual footage, you go, ah, it was a sweaty, terrible mess. Because Cody, it was supposed to be, in some form, like, yeah! F*ckin’ A! Go get ‘em Rock! You’re gonna get your ass kicked Roman! Let’s do this!

And kind of this uplifting promo and instead, he looked like someone shot his dog in the face in the parking lot.”

Fans Knew Cody Rhodes’ Heart Wasn’t In It

Gewirtz added that fans noticed immediately that Rhodes’ heart wasn’t in the segment, and although a more positive delivery might not have changed things, it certainly didn’t help.

“So yeah, that, I don’t think helped matters. It might not have changed, it might not have affected anything. But certainly on paper — and by the way, I don’t even blame Cody for that because he’s real, he’s one of the realest people I’ve ever met so yeah, it’s like, he said what he had to say in the promo. But you couldn’t mask what he was really feeling and I think the fans felt that a lot.

I think the fans felt like he doesn’t mean a word of this. This is being forced for him to say. He’s despondent. He’s literally doing the Michael Cera-Arrested Development-Charlie Brown walk out of the arena, when he’s supposed to be on cloud nine so, I think that had a lot to do with it…”

In the same interview, Brian Gewirtz denied The Rock is behind delays to a documentary chronicling his run to WrestleMania.

Meanwhile, it’s been reported that The Rock will be back at WrestleMania in 2025 to meet Cody Rhodes in singles action.

H/t to POST Wrestling