How did LA Knight take a subtle shot at The Rock on SmackDown? Exploring the clues

WrestleMania season is in full swing and LA Knight and The Rock both cut promos on the latest episode of WWE SmackDown. After The Rock serenaded the fans, Knight talked to Kayla Braxton about his issues with AJ Styles.

During his promo, The Megastar said some of his usual catchphrases but uttered a line familiar to the WWE Universe. What did he say to take a subtle shot at The Great One?

Before Knight laid down a challenge to AJ Styles for WrestleMania 40, he said the words, "Let me cook for a bit." For wrestling aficionados, that line is very close to one of The Great One's signature catchphrases - "If you smell what The Rock is cooking."

With both stars appearing on the same show, it could be said that Knight was stealing a line from The People's Champion and taking a shot at him.

Wrestlers make little jabs in promos all the time, like when Cody Rhodes asked if The Rock had "the authority" to make a match since he acknowledged The Tribal Chief the week before.

LA Knight's comparisons to The Rock

Using the line about cooking isn't the first time that LA Knight has been linked to The Rock. Due to his promo style and cadence, he has been compared to The Great One throughout his career.

The straightforward and loud delivery is reminiscent of Rock, and his "Yeah" line is used to interact with the crowd. Because of similar promo styles, many fans, analysts, and pro wrestlers, including Kevin Nash, have referred to Knight as a Rock ripoff.

The two do have similar machinations in promos, but Knight also uses a variation of The People's Elbow in matches. He's not the only star to use a delayed move, as Otis has the Caterpillar and John Cena had the Five Knuckle Shuffle.

While The Rock and LA Knight haven't worked together since Knight joined SmackDown, the two have crossed paths before.

The Megastar was a part of The Rock's reality show, The Hero, a decade ago. On the show, contestants took part in challenges that tested their mind, body, and spirit. Knight did not win that but certainly became a hero to many people in the WWE Universe.

If The Rock thought he was being ripped off, he would have addressed it with LA Knight as he has done so with Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins. Many wrestlers borrow from the past; otherwise, we wouldn't have Hulk Hogan ('Superstar' Billy Graham) or Ric Flair ('Nature Boy' Buddy Rogers).