Masterminds Behind Paul Heyman & Cody Rhodes’ 1/10 SmackDown Promo Unveiled

WWE brought a big episode of SmackDown for their January 10 episode. The opening segment was well-crafted, and many remarked how it was the highlight of the night. Now we know who was behind writing those lines.

Paul Heyman opened the show to address Roman Reigns’ next move. He quickly called out Cody Rhodes, who entered the ring without making The Wise Man wait. Heyman acknowledged Cody’s accomplishments before sharing a message from Roman Reigns. With the Ula Falla in his possession again, Reigns now wants his Undisputed WWE Title back.

Heyman announced that Roman Reigns will enter the 2025 Royal Rumble match to earn another shot at the Undisputed World Title. Meanwhile, Cody is already set to defend his championship against Kevin Owens in a ladder match on February 1 at the Royal Rumble event in Lucas Oil Stadium.

It was later reported on Fightful Select that Michael Kirshenbaum and Cristian Scovell were listed as the writers on the Paul Heyman and Cody Rhodes promo. In fact, Scovell is usually the writer on Cody Rhodes. Michael Hayes and Jamie Noble were the producers for the segment.

That segment included more than just spoken lines and a promo battle, as Kevin Owens came out to get Cody Rhodes’ attention. Also, the New Bloodline jumped in to make their presence known.

This segment was certainly an unexpected move, but it was also expected for the Tribal Chief that he will want to start his long road toward reclaiming his title. Only time will tell if he is able to take the quickest path by winning the 2025 Royal Rumble match.

Which WWE television show has the best writers at this point? Let us know in the comments below.