WWE Star Cody Rhodes’ Ex-Ally: “There’s Kind Of Been Rifts In Our Friendship”
Cody Rhodes will defend his Undisputed WWE Championship at Night of Champions against two men.
The American Nightmare has unwillingly found himself clashing with a former ally, Sami Zayn, at whom he lashed out during the June 26 edition of SmackDown (taped on June 23).
In the main event segment, Rhodes was interrupted by Zayn, who expressed regret over how things went sideways last week when he was the special guest referee during Rhodes’ title defense against Gunther.
A frustrated Cory Rhodes shouted “enough,” refusing to buy into his rhetoric and calling out his denial of ever wanting to be part of the title picture.
The 40-year-old champion even accused Zayn of backstabbing him while comparing him to his best friend, Kevin Owens.
Sami Zayn, in turn, responded in kind, saying that Cody should be thanking him instead of chastising him because if it weren’t for him, he would have lost his title to Gunther last week.
The Canadian superstar also said that after Night of Champions, Cody Rhodes would no longer be the WWE Champion, and he would be the reason for it.
Sami Zayn Admits To His Fractured Friendship With Cody Rhodes
Sami Zayn has been on the brink of a full heel turn for several months, but is being presented as “the last real good guy.”
Ahead of his title match at Night of Champions, the 41-year-old spoke on ESPN’s SportsCenter, where he discussed his fractured friendship with Cody Rhodes, even claiming that holding the title changed Rhodes.
That’s a great question. Look, I’ll admit I haven’t totally been myself the last few months. Actually, funny enough I lost a World Championship opportunity in Saudi Arabia some six months ago at the Royal Rumble. I’ve been chasing that title for a very long time.
It’s a hard thing to deal with sometimes, a loss like that. I’ll be honest and say I haven’t always been my best self, but I’ve really put my best foot forward and I just felt like Cody being champion, and I’m not trying to make any accusations here, but I think having the championship has changed him a little bit.
Maybe me not having the championship has not always made me act the best way, but there’s kind of been rifts in our friendship.
Zayn also took issue when the host of SportsCenter, Kevin Negandhi, said that he went rogue while officiating the title match between Cody Rhodes and Gunther.
I disagree, by the way, with your assessment that I went rogue in that match (the Special Referee Match), look I got pushed to my limit just like anybody else. I think almost anybody else in my situation would have done the same thing.
Look we find ourselves here, and now I feel like, any way you cut it, we’ve got this triple threat match for the WWE Championship tomorrow night and I get a chance to redeem myself after failing to win the world championship six months ago in Saudi Arabia. So for me this is a bit of a full circle thing, and it’s a chance at redemption. That means a lot to me. [H/T: WrestleTalk.com]
Also read: Cody Rhodes Confirms When His In-Ring Career Will Likely End