WWE & Cody Rhodes slammed for blowing "three-quarters" of the pyro budget by former Universal Champion

Modified Mar 27, 2025 19:51 GMT

Cody Rhodes is the Undisputed WWE Champion. [Image via - WWE.com]

A former WWE Universal Champion recently lashed out at the company. Kevin Owens voiced his frustration at the distribution of the pyro budget being favorable towards Cody Rhodes.

The rivalry between Owens and Rhodes escalated when the former laid waste to the champion and took off with the iconic "Winged Eagle" title belt at Saturday Night's Main Event late last year. Their deeply personal feud culminated in a Ladder Match at this year's Royal Rumble. The Captain retained his championship against The Prizefighter in a grueling contest.

In a conversation with Adrian Hernandez on the Unlikely podcast, Kevin Owens criticized the sports entertainment juggernaut's allocation of pyro resources, stating that his rival consumed the majority of the budget, leaving little to nothing for other wrestlers. The former Universal Champion disclosed his desire for pyro that spelled "Ba*lz," similar to Sycho Sid's name in the ring, but the company rejected his idea.

"I think the fact that he blows three-quarters of the WWE pyro budget every year, keeps a lot of people from getting to have pyro for their entrances. For example, I've requested for years to have pyro added to my entrance. Remember Sycho Sid used to have the pyro where it would say his name in the ring. So, I wanted the same thing but instead of my name, I just wanted it to say 'ba*lz,' with a 'Z' at the end. They just won't do it. They said Cody [Rhodes] needs all the pyro. So, very selfish and very excessive," Owens said. [From 01:04 to 01:44]

Status of Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens for WWE WrestleMania 41

Kevin Owens and Cody Rhodes are both set to compete at WrestleMania 41. However, they will not face each other in a match this time.

After John Cena won the 2025 Men's Elimination Chamber, he is set to face Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Title next month. Meanwhile, KO will go one-on-one with Randy Orton in a grudge match.