Cody Rhodes Reportedly Believed To Have Been “Shooting on TKO” Over Pat McAfee Insertion Into Storyline on 4/3 WWE SmackDown Show

As noted before, Friday’s WWE SmackDown show at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri featured Pat McAfee making a surprise return appearance to WWE and turning heel on Cody Rhodes. McAfee surprise return and involvement in the Randy Orton and Rhodes storyline feud for the Undisputed WWE Championship was believed to have been an edict that came from TKO Group and possibly TKO CEO Ari Emanuel.

PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reported that his sources stated that McAfee was kept hidden before the first segment on Friday’s show and no one seemed to be aware that he was going to be revealed.

Johnson reported that Michael Hayes and Bobby Roode were the producers of the segment while writer Christian Scovell was internally listed as well for it.

In regards to Rhodes’ promo later in the show responding to McAfee’s attack, Johnson reported that this promo segment was not listed internally on the planned rundown sheet for the show.

Johnson also reported that there is currently a belief among some within WWE that Rhodes’ comments during his promo were him “shooting” about TKO inserting McAfee into his storyline feud with Orton.

Bodyslam+ reported that their sources also confirmed that Rhodes was instructed to go to the ring and “shoot from the hip” regarding McAfee’s involvement. It was confirmed that Rhodes’ promo was not listed on the planned rundown for the show.

It was reported that both Rhodes and members of WWE’s creative team have “legitimate grips” with TKO for “sticking their nose in storylines close to WrestleMania” for multiple years in a row.