Rhodes’s Night of Champions Title Run Faces Raw-Sourced Threats

SmackDown, taped in London and the go-home show for Night of Champions, sets Cody Rhodes up for a triple-threat title defense against Gunther and Sami Zayn after last week’s chaotic finish; the piece argues the bigger threats to Rhodes come from Raw stars like Oba Femi, Jey Uso, CM Punk, and Roman Reigns, not SmackDown’s roster. The night’s lineup includes Paige vs Jacy Jayne, Giulia vs Kiana James, Jade Cargill vs Chelsea Green, and Rey Fenix vs Nathan Frazer, with several cross-brand storylines (Ripley’s status, Bloodline drama, and more) shaping the title picture ahead of Saudi Arabia.