Cody Rhodes 'felt a little guilty' about non-PG WWE promo line

Cody Rhodes says he "felt a little guilty" about a non-PG promo he cut leading up to WrestleMania 40. 

Rhodes addressed The Rock during an in-ring segment on the March 18 edition of WWE Raw. One line that got a lot of attention was Rhodes asking Rock if he'd be bringing "Big Dwayne Energy" to WrestleMania 40, or if it would be "LDS."

Rhodes said:

What happens, Rock, when the bell rings? Are you going to bring The Great One? Are you going to be the hero I had growing up? Are you going to have all that Big Dwayne Energy? Or is it just going to be LDS, little dick syndrome?!

Rhodes spoke about the promo during a recent appearance on the SI Media podcast. He told Jimmy Traina that he was worried about how his younger fans would feel about him after the segment. 

Rhodes said:

Fans in the arena loved it. There was a huge joy to this interview I did. However, for me, I felt a little guilty because I have a lot of young, young, young fans and I would never want them to ask their mom about 'LDS' or this or that.

My run with WWE has been really for the family audience, and really for the little nightmares, these little kiddos. I just wouldn't want to lead them astray in any way and hopefully, that interview didn't turn them off to me, if I am their guy, as their guy. Everyone after was so pumped about it, my wife was digging it, and I remember thinking I felt a little guilty. 

Rhodes also spoke about the #WeWantCody movement that ensued following the February 2 WWE SmackDown when it appeared Rock had taken Rhodes' place in the WrestleMania 40 main event. When asked about what role he played backstage in WWE deciding to pivot back to him vs. Reigns at Mania, Rhodes said his role was to "stay silent throughout the chaos."

Rhodes said: 

My role in all of this was to stay silent throughout the chaos. I don't always stay silent, I mean, here we are, we're talking now, I'm very active on social but sometimes you just have to shut your mouth. And this was a great time when I shut my mouth and all these people came out. 

I even thought 'I wonder if I can quell the storm.' I think I did. I sent a post out like, 'Hey, calm down.' 

I mean, it's flattering, no doubt but I don't want anyone getting unnecessary heat or anything of that nature in that space.

I just decided to keep silent and in the weirdest of ways, having won the Royal Rumble, and having been in there last with CM Punk who had such an opportunity to win the Rumble himself, such an absolute great, I just still thought it'll be fine. Maybe I was in denial, because a lot of people around me were very angry but I just thought, 'Nope, it's gonna be fine. It will work out.'

DDP, he's so positive, and I'm not a positive person, I feel like I'm in the middle. He's positive. But he said something to me, he goes, 'No matter what happens to you, it'll be the best thing that ever happens.' And I wanted to be mad at that answer, like what does that even mean? He told me that and man, was he right. 

Rhodes also spoke about his relationship with Paul Heyman during the interview and how it was his father who first brought Heyman into booking meetings. Rhodes says that if things had worked out differently, he feels he could have been a great Paul Heyman Guy. 

Rhodes said:

I think in another lifetime, I probably would have made the best Paul Heyman Guy. I probably could have been his absolute ace, but it just didn't work out that way. It worked out that I was the adversary for his number one guy of all time, and that being Roman Reigns. 

Rhodes' full appearance on the SI Media podcast is available below.