Cody Rhodes referenced Vince McMahon during a promo segment on WWE RAW.
Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes kicked off the March 30 episode of RAW at the iconic Madison Square Garden. However, as he began to address the crowd, Stephanie McMahon cut him off and made her way to the ring. After some brief pleasantries, she got to business, saying she’s not sure if Rhodes can handle Randy Orton in his current dangerous version at WrestleMania 42.
The conversation turned personal when Stephane McMahon compared the Undisputed WWE Champion to his father, Dusty Rhodes. She noted that while the late Hall of Famer could’ve handled Orton as he is now, Cody Rhodes is not his father. The remark drew a sharp response from the American Nightmare, who shot back, saying, “You wanna bring up fathers? I’m not mine, you’re right. Stephanie McMahon, with all due respect, you’re not yours either,” referring to her father Vince McMahon.
This is one of the few instances when WWE Superstars referenced Vince McMahon on television. CM Punk mentioned him twice during his rivalries against Drew McIntyre and Seth Rollins, and Triple H had thanked the former Chairman during his Hall of Fame acceptance speech last year.
Apart from these subtle references, WWE has mostly refrained from making any direct mentions of Vince McMahon after his resignation following Janel Grant’s trafficking allegation and lawsuit. Grant, McMahon, and WWE recently agreed to a hearing in June 2026, where both parties will argue whether the case will be heard in public court or sent to private arbitration.
