Randy Orton set off one of the most chaotic moments on the August 14 SmackDown, sparking a wild brawl with Cody Rhodes in the closing minutes of the show in Boston. In the middle of the chaos, the Viper shoved a ring crew member hard enough to send him face-first into the floor.
That crew member, however, wasn’t just a random WWE employee. He’s indie wrestler Rhys Maddox Ayers, who was working cable setup near the ring that night.
WWE referee Jason Ayers identified Maddox by posting a photo of him shortly before the Orton segment.
“Moments before disaster with @randyorton. @rhysmaddox2gk paying his dues, pulling cables better than @brendan.shep.”
Maddox has some ring experience, having started his pro career in 2024. He works as a freelancer, also goes by Rhys Ayers, and was trained by Jason Ayers and Bobby Fish, among others. He’s from Bloomington, Indiana.
Maddox has also worked dates for several indie promotions, including DREAMWAVE, Coastal Championship Wrestling, and Reality of Wrestling, and appeared in a dark match tied to AEW Dynamite.
The brawl broke out when Orton attacked Rhodes before a scheduled match between the American Nightmare and Sami Zayn. The match never got started, and the two fought through ringside and into the crowd before officials stepped in to separate them.
WWE has confirmed that Orton and Rhodes will face each other at Sunday Night’s Main Event in a rematch from WrestleMania 42.