WWE Champion Unleashes Unscripted Promo on SmackDown

Cody Rhodes addresses Pat McAfee's surprise involvement ahead of WrestleMania 42 title match

Apr. 4, 2026 at 9:42pm

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On the latest episode of WWE SmackDown, Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes delivered an unplanned promo addressing the recent involvement of Pat McAfee, who attacked Rhodes earlier in the night. Reports indicate Rhodes was instructed to 'shoot from the hip' regarding McAfee's alliance with his WrestleMania 42 opponent, Randy Orton.

Why it matters

This unscripted promo from the champion provides a rare glimpse into the real-life tensions and backstage dynamics within WWE, as the company navigates high-profile storylines and title matches leading into its biggest annual event, WrestleMania.

The details

According to multiple reports, Rhodes' response to McAfee was not part of the original rundown for the SmackDown episode. There is belief that some of the champion's comments reflected his genuine thoughts on McAfee's surprise involvement, which has been compared to the infamous 'third man' reveal in the NWO storyline in WCW.

  • The incident occurred on the 4/3 edition of WWE SmackDown.

The players

Cody Rhodes

The current Undisputed WWE Champion, set to defend his title against Randy Orton at WrestleMania 42.

Pat McAfee

A former WWE commentator who has recently aligned himself with Cody Rhodes' WrestleMania 42 opponent, Randy Orton.

Randy Orton

Cody Rhodes' opponent for the Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania 42, with Pat McAfee now involved in their storyline.

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What they’re saying

“There is belief some of the Undisputed WWE Champion's comments reflected his 'real thoughts' on TKO inserting McAfee into the storyline.”

— PWInsider

“Rhodes was instructed to go to the ring and 'shoot from the hip' regarding McAfee, whose alliance with Randy Orton ahead of WrestleMania 42 was compared to Scott Hall and Kevin Nash bringing in Disco Inferno as the third man in the NWO.”

— Bodyslam+

What’s next

Rhodes and Orton will face off for the Undisputed WWE Championship when WrestleMania 42 emanates from Allegiant Stadium in Paradise (Las Vegas), Nevada on April 18 and April 19.

The takeaway

This unscripted promo from the WWE Champion provides a rare behind-the-scenes look at the high-stakes tensions and creative dynamics within the company as it builds towards its biggest annual event, WrestleMania.