Former World Champion Drops Subtle AEW Reference During SmackDown in London
Randy Orton praises Cody Rhodes’ career journey with comments that might reference AEW during their SmackDown segment in London.
During WWE SmackDown at The O2 in London, Randy Orton stirred up some buzz with comments that seemed to reference AEW while speaking with Cody Rhodes. The remarks came during an in-ring segment between the two former Legacy stablemates ahead of their respective WrestleMania 41 matches.
Orton and Rhodes share a complicated history that’s taken some interesting turns over the years. Their paths diverged when Rhodes left WWE in 2016, only to become instrumental in launching AEW alongside The Elite in 2019, before making his shocking WWE return in 2022.
In what seemed like a heartfelt moment, Orton praised Rhodes for his career decisions:
You weren’t exactly treated fairly in a WWE locker-room, so you left, man. That took some big a*s balls, to leave this company and do what you did… you changed the business single-handedly, and all the boys in the back know it, all the girls in the back know it, and you know that I appreciate you for it, but you came back. We all knew one day you’d come back and the industry has been changed forever, since the day you stepped foot back in the WWE.
The comments sparked debate among fans on social media, with opinions split on whether Orton was genuinely complimenting Rhodes or taking a subtle jab at AEW. Either way, the moment clearly resonated with Rhodes, who appeared emotional during the exchange.
