Cody Rhodes Confronts Paul Heyman Over Brock Lesnar Before Chaos Erupts on SmackDown

Cody Rhodes questioned Paul Heyman about his alliance with Brock Lesnar at Wrestlepalooza before being attacked by The Vision.

Cody Rhodes Confronts Paul Heyman Over Brock Lesnar Before Chaos Erupts on SmackDown

Cody Rhodes and Paul Heyman (via WWE)

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The September 26th edition of SmackDown set the stage for a possible War Games clash at Survivor Series, as Cody Rhodes went head-to-head with The Vision in a heated segment. The show kicked off with a Wrestlepalooza recap before Paul Heyman made his way to the ring. After introducing himself, he teased that he could talk for hours but instead asked the Orlando crowd what they wanted to discuss. 

He threw out the World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins’ name, but the fans drowned him out with loud OTC chants. Heyman then turned to Roman Reigns, reminding everyone it was disrespectful to talk about the injured Tribal Chief, especially after Bronson Reed took him out in Paris. 

Shifting focus, he called Bron Breakker the future of WWE, a man destined to main-event WrestleMania for the next decade. He also hinted at the swirling rumors about Brock Lesnar. That brought out Cody Rhodes to a massive ovation, with the crowd singing his entrance. Rhodes admitted he was wrong to call Heyman a goon last week, instead calling him one of the smartest men in the business. 

But he demanded answers about Lesnar. He even showed a still of Heyman introducing Lesnar at Wrestlepalooza, questioning whether that looked like a one-night-only deal. Heyman fired back, calling himself the GOAT. He praised Rhodes for confronting him but warned that when Lesnar is around, nobody is safe. He claimed ‘The Beast’ wasn’t in the building but teased that Rhodes might still be in danger.

Right on cue, Breakker and Reed hit the ring. ‘The American Nightmare’ welcomed the fight, warning them that Heyman’s loyalty was never truly with them. Breakker ripped his shirt off, Cody tossed his powder-blue blazer to Booker T at commentary, and the brawl erupted. Rhodes struck first, overwhelming Breakker and dodging Reed, so the two collided. 

Just as the WWE Champion had momentum, Breakker leveled him with a crushing lariat, and the two-on-one beatdown began. That’s when Randy Orton’s music hit. The crowd erupted as ‘The Viper’ stormed the ring, dropping fists on Reed outside before battling Breakker inside. 

Orton went for an RKO on Breakker, but he slipped away. Reed re-entered only to get drilled with a thunderous RKO. The segment closed with Orton and Rhodes standing tall while Breakker retreated, leaving the babyfaces in control as the road to Crown Jewel and Survivor Series heated up.

Ricky Starks opens up on his close friendship with Cody Rhodes

Cody Rhodes has become WWE’s biggest babyface, often described as the quarterback of the company since his 2022 return at WrestleMania 38 against Seth Rollins. Since then, he’s shared the ring with top stars like Roman Reigns, CM Punk, and even played a central role in John Cena’s farewell tour.

Before reclaiming his spot in WWE, Rhodes helped reshape the industry as a founding force behind AEW in 2019. Working alongside The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega, he served as an Executive Vice President while his wife Brandi was Chief Brand Officer, helping the company emerge as a true alternative to WWE. 

Cody Rhodes and Ricky Starks
Cody Rhodes and Ricky Starks (via AEW)

Despite his pivotal role in AEW, Rhodes surprised fans in 2022 by leaving the promotion, paving the way for his emergence as WWE’s top star. While his departure may have strained some relationships with the Jacksonville-based company, it hasn’t affected all of his connections.

In fact, Rhodes remains close friends with several current and former AEW talents, including Ricky Starks. Even before signing with WWE, Starks was known to be good friends with Rhodes. The two worked together in AEW, and Starks was even there to watch ‘The American Nightmare’ compete at the 2023 Royal Rumble and WrestleMania 40.

Speaking to Good Karma Wrestling, the current NXT title challenger shared some insight into their friendship when asked how often he brags about knowing Rhodes. He admitted it wasn’t often, but he had nothing but praise for him. 

Not a lot, actually. He’s a really good dude, great dude. He has helped me out tremendously in wrestling, outside of wrestling, with my family. My family loves him. I love his family. To me, he’s just Cody. I don’t think of him as ‘WWE Champion.’ That’s just my man right there. He’s doing it. He’s doing his damn thing.

Ricky Starks via Good Karma Wrestling

At Wrestlepalooza, Rhodes defeated Drew McIntyre in the main event to retain the WWE Championship, setting up a clash with Rollins at Crown Jewel for the Crown Jewel Championship. Reports noted that a Wrestlepalooza win for McIntyre had been pitched, but the decision was ultimately made for Rhodes’ reign to continue.

It’s been another remarkable year for Rhodes, who recently topped the PWI 500 for the second consecutive year, becoming only the fourth wrestler to achieve the feat, following Bret Hart, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and John Cena.

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