Former WWE head writer Vince Russo has publicly called out the recent Cody Rhodes SmackDown segment, sharply criticizing what he described as poor creative decisions by the writing team. The controversy arose after Rhodes appeared in the final moments of SmackDown, a key event now stirring debate among viewers and talent over WWE’s current storytelling approach.
Rhodes Faces Imbalanced Odds After SmackDown Attack
Cody Rhodes competed in Friday’s SmackDown episode, stepping into the ring just after Seth Rollins, Bronson Reed, and Bron Breakker executed a calculated attack on Penta and Andrade. The intention behind the ambush was clear: to weaken all of Rollins’ upcoming Money in the Bank opponents ahead of the high-stakes Premium Live Event.
As the dust settled, Rhodes found himself alone in the ring, outnumbered three-to-one by the aggressive faction. Vince Russo, analyzing the situation during his appearance on BroDown with Mac Davis, questioned the believability of the scene and the logic guiding WWE’s creative process.
Russo Questions Audience Engagement Over Ring Psychology
Russo was especially puzzled by how the segment played out when Jey Uso, known as one of Cody’s allies, made his entrance. According to Russo, instead of swiftly coming to the rescue, Jey took time to interact with the fans, which distracted from the urgency of the moment. The delay, in Russo’s view, left Cody exposed in the ring, and the so-called “heels” missed an opportunity to capitalize on their advantage. In his words:
“Let’s just talk about some things. Guys, it’s like, come on, man. You got three heels in the ring and Cody Rhodes. Here comes Jey Uso, and he’s gonna stop and pick up a little girl. It’s stuff like that. Are you idiots? Like seriously, his buddy is in the ring, outmanned three-to-one. And to add insult to injury, he picks up the little girl and the heels do nothing to Cody Rhodes.”
—Vince Russo, Former WWE Head Writer
Unexpected Twist: Babyfaces Attacked by WWE Megastars
The situation escalated further when John Cena and Logan Paul entered the arena, turning on Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso. The renowned megastars delivered a calculated ambush, overpowering the babyfaces and shifting momentum ahead of their upcoming tag team contest at Money in the Bank.
By centering this storyline around Cody Rhodes SmackDown segment criticized for poor WWE booking, Russo’s comments shine a spotlight on the importance of logical storytelling and timely action within live wrestling programming. With names like Seth Rollins, Bronson Reed, Bron Breakker, and Andrade at the heart of this friction, the scrutiny of WWE’s booking continues, potentially fueling changes in how future blue brand segments unfold.
