How did Cody Rhodes reference his wife Brandi Rhodes minutes into SmackDown?

This week, Cody Rhodes made his first appearance on SmackDown as Undisputed WWE Champion and couldn't resist referencing his wife, Brandi Rhodes.

The American Nightmare was fired up after his uncomfortable promo exchange with The Rock this past Monday's RAW. The 38-year-old stole his wife Brandi's famous quote to describe his feelings when The Final Boss interrupted him:

"Who the hell told you tonight was open mic night... b****h?"

Brandi Rhodes' iconic line was used two years ago when she was a member of the AEW roster. She got into a war of words with Jade Cargill while her husband stood in the ring.

Cody Rhodes left AEW in February 2022, and Brandi followed him out of the company. While he returned to WWE at WrestleMania 28, his wife didn't make an appearance until recently.

The 40-year-old made her first on-screen appearance in WWE at WrestleMania. She was featured in her husband's entrance and received a massive pop from fans in Philadelphia.

Cody finished his story at WrestleMania XL by beating Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. After the match, Brandi headed to the ring to celebrate with several WWE talent and the Rhodes family.

Brandi Rhodes referenced the 'open mic night' promo in response to Cody Rhodes slapping The Rock on SmackDown

Cody Rhodes spent his Road to WrestleMania clashing with The Rock. The People's Champion returned to the Stamford-based company after Cody won the Royal Rumble and tried to steal his 'Mania main event against Roman Reigns.

Those plans changed at WrestleMania XL Kickoff on February 8 when Cody made a U-turn and reclaimed his title match with The Tribal Chief. This led to a feud not only with the champion but also with his cousin.

The Rock slapped Cody during that kickoff show, but the favor was returned in an episode of SmackDown several weeks later when the WWE legend mocked The American Nightmare's family.

Brandi Rhodes responded to her husband slapping The Great One on SmackDown with a familiar phrase in an X/Twitter post.

"That’s for Pharaoh and thinking every night is open mic night."

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Brandi Rhodes doesn't appear to be considering a return to WWE television. However, Brandi's polarizing AEW character could intrigue fans if she joins Cody in his new story on SmackDown or RAW. She could use her promo skills and take younger talent under her wing as a manager.

About the author

Matthew is a WWE and AEW feature writer for Sportskeeda Wrestling. He studied BA in Creative Writing at the University of Essex in the United Kingdom, including journalism modules, and graduated in 2021 with First Class Honors. He has always had a passion for pro wrestling, starting at WrestleMania 21. Matthew used to write as a pastime and pretend booker for WWE.

The skills and knowledge he learned at University helped him step into pro wrestling writing with Sportskeeda. Matthew's writing experience goes beyond Sportskeeda Wrestling. He has had two and a half years of experience with Sportskeeda's European football team and contributed to Sportskeeda's Reality TV team for three months.

In addition, he briefly wrote for WhatCulture and Bleacher Report. With his diverse writing experience, Matthew has come to value integrity. He strives to write honest, unbiased, and accurate information fair for all parties involved, irrespective of race, religion, or sex.

He admires CM Punk's polarizing character and bravery in speaking his mind while having a tremendous in-ring style.

When he is not writing about pro wrestling, Matthew can be found writing about football or going to the gym. He also enjoys watching football and films with some popcorn in hand.

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Edited by Angana Roy