Grayson Waller has revealed that the memorable “cages rattled” opening line from his NXT return promo did not originate with him, but traced back to advice Triple H gave Cody Rhodes. Waller made the comments while appearing on the “What’s Your Story with Stephanie McMahon” podcast, where he and Stephanie McMahon rewatched the promo together and broke down its origins.
According to Waller, the line came directly from a suggestion Triple H had previously passed along to Rhodes. Waller made his return to NXT at the end of July, using the promo to air his grievances and signal his intent to shake up the roster, with the “cages rattled” phrase becoming the standout moment of the segment.
Separately, Cody Rhodes has been discussing a different conversation with Triple H, one that carried far more personal weight. Speaking on the “Double Coverage” podcast, Rhodes revealed he was nervous to approach Triple H about taking time away from WWE while he was still holding the company’s top championship. The request was tied to Rhodes filming the Street Fighter movie, in which he played Guile. The film was released in theaters on October 16.
Rhodes explained that despite his long working relationship with Triple H, the prospect of stepping away from in-ring duties atop WWE’s card to pursue the film role genuinely worried him. He did not detail the full substance of that conversation, but confirmed the nerves were real heading into it.
Both stories, while separate in subject, underline the close working dynamic between Rhodes and Triple H behind the scenes in WWE. One shows Triple H’s creative fingerprints extending to other talent through Rhodes, with Waller’s NXT promo serving as a direct example. The other shows the trust and occasional tension involved when a champion seeks approval for outside commitments, with Rhodes crediting the conversation as a pivotal moment ahead of the Street Fighter release.
Neither Fightful nor Ringside News reported further detail on how Triple H responded to Rhodes’ request, nor additional specifics on the broader context of the NXT promo beyond Waller’s account on the podcast.
