Why Everybody Feels Sorry For Cody Rhodes Right Now (WWE News)
Even WWE's roster has sympathy for Cody Rhodes after last Friday's episode of SmackDown.
Mike Johnson is reporting via PWInsider Elite that even members of the WWE roster backstage are expressing their disappointment in the idea to crudely insert Pat McAfee into a title showdown between Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton at WrestleMania 42. Sources behind the scenes tell Johnson that those workers are "throwing their hands up over a decision they felt was both creatively unnecessary and unfair to Rhodes".
As previously reported, it was TKO execs more than Triple H who elected to stick McAfee into the mix as a last minute push towards Las Vegas. Those left frustrated by it in the locker room don't think guys with as much history as Cody and Randy needed another moving part - they felt there was more than enough lore to dip into before 'Mania.
Interestingly, Rhodes didn't sell the story pivot when he returned backstage after being beaten up by Orton and Pat. He did, however, return later on SmackDown to deliver a fiery promo. It clearly isn't easy for a babyface like Cody (who was already contending with scattered booing and the fact his rival is being cheered) to manage this situation, and now he has to deal with McAfee's shoot-style remarks on top of that.
Some of his peers don't think this was the right way to go so close to the big dance. McAfee's involvement with Randy feels awkward, sudden and like yet another WWE shock which won't have any satisfying payoff. Obviously, there's time for that to change, but it's pretty obvious that the WWE Title clash didn't need him.