Top WWE Star Not Backstage at SmackDown in Raleigh

TLDR

Cody Rhodes will not appear on this week's Friday Night SmackDown in Raleigh, North Carolina, as WWE is keeping him off television to sell the effects of Randy Orton's brutal attack from the previous week's show. According to PWInsider, the decision comes after Orton's heel turn during their contract signing segment on March 13, 2026, where Orton attacked Rhodes, put him through a table, and hit him with steel steps, leaving him bleeding. WWE is using Rhodes' absence to build anticipation for their WrestleMania 42 main event match while reinforcing the impact of Orton's assault.