Did you catch Cody Rhodes' subtle reference to John Cena at WWE Payback? What everyone missed

Cody Rhodes was the latest guest of The Grayson Waller Effect at WWE Payback. While both men were talking, The American Nightmare gave a subtle nod to John Cena that many may not have noticed.

Cody Rhodes' segment with the SmackDwon star at WWE Payback did not begin smoothly. The latter insulted the the RAW star and tonight's location, Pittsburgh. Once seated across each other, the Australian star even said that The American Nightmare was at his show for the "Grayson Waller Rub."

After Grayson's monologue, Cody stated, "Fine speech." While some may not consider this further, it may have been a subtle nod to John Cena. The Cenation Leader is known to say that phrase during his promos when confronting a superstar.

The Hollywood actor was also present at tonight's Premium Live Event. He got into a confrontation with The Miz, who criticized Cena's skills as a host. John later refereed The A-Lister and LA Knight's match. After that, he also worked as a backstage reporter, briefly interviewing the new Undisputed Tag Team Champions, Finn Balor and Damian Priest.

Why did Cody Rhodes announce at The Grayson Waller Effect?

Cody Rhodes and John at WWE Payback

The American Nightmare may not have a bout tonight at Pittsburgh, but his announcement still pumped up the crowd.

The Bloodline saga has been the main focal point of SmackDown. A few weeks ago, their storyline went up a notch when Jey Uso quit WWE after being betrayed by Jimmy Uso at SummerSlam 2023. As it turns out, even as a RAW star, Rhodes watched the show intently and stated he disagreed with what was happening regarding their politics.

Cody Rhodes announced that he invited Jey Uso to join Monday Night RAW. The latter appeared before the crowd and even had a physical altercation with the Australian star, which ended with Waller getting hit. From the looks of it, Jey decided to switch brands to make his own name and separate himself from The Bloodline and his twin.

Could Cody Rhodes and John Cena meet inside a WWE ring?

The latest episode of SmackDown marked the first out of many returns of The Cenation Leader at the brand. With this in mind, it's possible that the subtle tease at WWE Payback won't be Rhodes' only interaction with the top star. Per WRKD Wrestling, Cody vs. John has been discussed as a possibility for Cena's future in the company.

It remains to be seen if Cody's subtle hint of John will lead to something more in the upcoming weeks.