Cody Rhodes isn’t letting Sami Zayn off the hook for his recent lack of action on SmackDown, but the Undisputed WWE Champion is refusing to let the drama derail his focus. During an appearance on ESPN’s SportsCenter, Rhodes addressed the tense closing moments of SmackDown where Zayn stood by and watched Gunther attack Rhodes from behind with a sleeper hold.
“Well, I think everyone knows the expression that in the wrestling business, everybody wants you to have success. Everybody wants you to be on top, but they don’t want you to have too much success,” Rhodes explained. “I would classify Sami Zayn with one word, and that would be petty. And that’s just a good old petty moment.”
Looking Ahead to the European Tour
Rather than escalating the conflict, Rhodes took some accountability for the strained relationship. “Listen, he didn’t have to save me. He didn’t have to. So I’m not going to give it so much drama behind it,” Rhodes noted. “And again, I didn’t help him when he knocked Gunther off the apron. So perhaps he felt justified.”
With the Zayn drama in the rearview mirror, Rhodes shifted his attention to the WWE European Summer Tour and the upcoming Clash in Italy event. The champion spoke passionately about the evolving global fan culture, specifically referencing the recent event in Lyon, France, which prompted WWE executives Triple H and Nick Khan to add an on-screen sound meter to the broadcast.
“They’re singing songs. They’re putting your name in places you wouldn’t think your name would go into,” Rhodes said of the European audiences. “I expect that sound meter to pop back up, and I’m hopeful that they rival the greatest wrestling crowd of all time, which is France. And I think Italy can do it. This is the opportunity to really put their flag in the sand. Looking forward to see how loud they get.”