What Happened After Last Night's WWE SmackDown Went Off Air

Both Cody Rhodes and Paul Heyman were involved in off-air segments after SmackDown.

Paul Heyman Ambulance Bloodline
WWE.com

WWE fans inside Madison Square Garden were treated to something special once SmackDown's cameras stopped rolling for live TV. An in-ring segment involving Cody Rhodes and another taped skit for Paul Heyman both took place; the latter was available via WWE's social streams after the show.

They've since uploaded Cody's special surprise too.

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Rhodes cut a promo about how his father Dusty had held an old version of the WWF Title inside MSG following a match vs. 'Superstar' Billy Graham in the late-1970s. The 'Dream' never won that belt officially though. If you recall, that same image was used as part of Cody's story across multiple WrestleManias, so it's poignant.

Cody held the old belt aloft in 2024 as fans inside the Garden chanted his father's name. That must've been an incredible feeling for the current WWE Champ - he was able to look up to the heavens and say the "silliest thing to [Dusty]": "Nobody can take it away from you now".

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Heyman's segment was even more dramatic. He was wheeled away in an ambulance following an on-air attack by Solo Sikoa's reworked Bloodline (including newbie Jacob Fatu). Paul E took a thumping powerbomb through the announce desk right at the end of the show.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.