Cody Rhodes closed out his face-to-face with Randy Orton on the August 21 episode of Friday Night SmackDown by borrowing one of Paul Heyman’s most iconic lines.
The segment began with Rhodes calling Orton to the ring. Before the two could come to blows, Nick Aldis stepped in and laid down the law, warning that if either man lays a hand on the other before Sunday Night’s Main Event, both will permanently lose their opportunity to compete for the Undisputed WWE Championship.
Orton complied but taunted Rhodes, telling his former partner he could never match Orton’s level of ruthlessness. Rhodes fired back by recounting the attacks he’s endured this year and vowed to be the one who finally puts an end to the “Legend Killer.”
“You may go on to become the greatest of all time, but the one who kills the Legend Killer is QB1. That is not a prediction. That is a spoiler.”
The closing line turned heads because of its longstanding connection to Paul Heyman. WWE has treated “not a prediction, it’s a spoiler” as one of Heyman’s signature catchphrases from his run alongside Brock Lesnar, particularly during the feuds with The Undertaker and Roman Reigns.
Rhodes and Orton are set to collide on September 6 at Sunday Night’s Main Event, emanating from State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.