Cody Rhodes Addresses Backlash To “I Didn’t Get The Nickname Raheem For No Reason” Line On WWE SmackDown

“And besides, I heard it was gonna be a ‘you know what’ measuring contest. Well, they’re both glad I’m not in it, because I didn’t get the nickname Raheem for no reason.”
– Cody Rhodes

These were the words from “The American Nightmare” during a promo on the February 6 episode of WWE SmackDown that resulted in some backlash from fans.

During a recent interview on Under The Hood with J-Hood, the former Undisputed WWE Champion addressed the controversy.

“I had told her (Brandi Rhodes) that I might say it,” Cody recalled. “I felt bad because I told her and then she said, ‘Oh, you have to say it. It’s funny.’ I didn’t wanna come at Roman (Reigns) or (CM) Punk in an adversarial way. I’m not wrestling either of you. You guys are wrestling each other and it’s awesome. I feel that those things will come.”

Rhodes continued, explaining why he thought it was a funny line that made sense in that situation.

“I wanted to come at it with a little bit of levity because I knew others were gonna come at it from a different perspective,” he said. “And I thought that was funny but then I felt bad because I don’t ever want anybody to get married to a line. I’m like, ‘Oh, well, if I can’t say that…’ I did my field testing of it and I hope I didn’t offend anybody with it. I very much stood by it and when you see a Manchester United in the bio and an anime picture as the avatar complaining about it, I gotta ask, what are we really complaining about here? This is more of a positive joke than there could ever be about gifted men. I can’t really be mad at that and I can’t really walk that one back… I said, ‘I’m not gonna spend my road to WrestleMania talking about two other guys. This is where it ends for me,’ and I picked a great place to do it. Charlotte, North Carolina, was the place so, yes, I said it, and that’s where I’m at.”

Cody Rhodes competes in the Men’s Elimination Chamber match this Saturday at the WWE Elimination Chamber: Chicago premium live event.

Make sure to join us here at WrestlingHeadlines.com on 2/28 for live WWE Elimination Chamber: Chicago results coverage.