Backstage reaction to Cody Rhodes' WrestleMania match being changed - Reports

A new report has revealed that a lot of backstage conversation is going on in WWE following the incredibly negative reaction to Cody Rhodes giving away his WrestleMania spot to The Rock on this past Friday's episode of SmackDown.

Cody Rhodes was the last man standing in the Men's Royal Rumble match last weekend and pointed at challenging Roman Reigns following the match. The American Nightmare lost to Reigns at WrestleMania 39, and most fans were expecting him to challenge The Tribal Chief once again to finish his story.

However, he stepped aside and The Rock is seemingly now going to face Roman Reigns at WrestleMania. The response to the decision has been more negative than anyone could have expected, and a new report suggests that the company has heard the feedback.

According to Fightful Select, a source told the publication that The American Nightmare was professional backstage this past Friday night. It was noted that it could not be ruled out that the decision to have The Rock face Roman Reigns at WrestleMania is work or could be turned into one following the negative reaction from fans.

One source told Fightful that they would prefer this coverage from the media rather than outlets focusing on the allegations against Vince McMahon. The sentiment was echoed by several others, and Fightful was told that the company could prefer being seen as "inept" rather than "malicious by proxy" following the lawsuit filed against the company's former CEO.

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Cody Rhodes comments on the allegations against Vince McMahon following WWE Royal Rumble

Cody Rhodes recently discussed the allegations against Vince McMahon and noted that they are a dark cloud hanging over the promotion.

Speaking at the press conference following WWE Royal Rumble 2024, Cody Rhodes was asked for his thoughts about the allegations against the former CEO. The 38-year-old claimed he heard about them when everyone else did and praised the company for acting swiftly.

"We were finding it out and reading the same things that you guys were reading. You said a dark cloud? Certainly. As far as TKO, Nick Khan, and the board, they clearly took it very seriously and acted immediately. Looking at the future, you know, I don't know the answer to that. I think somewhere there is a basic tenet of just, this crew, more than ever from a roster standpoint, is very family. I've never seen anything like this. Most of the time, wrestling locker rooms are fighting, talking trash about each other, making fun of each other, sandbagging each other in the ring, all that nonsense. This crew is very team-based, and perhaps that is the ingredient," Cody Rhodes said.

The Rock is one of the most famous people on the planet, but wrestling fans have voiced their displeasure at him being handed a prominent match at WrestleMania 40.

It will be interesting to see how WWE decides to handle this situation in the weeks ahead.

What was your initial reaction to the end of this past Friday's episode of WWE SmackDown? Let us know in the comments section below.