WWE SmackDown Fallout: Cody Rhodes Main Event Chaos, R-Truth Injury, and Title Implications

Key points

• Cody Rhodes faced Baron Corbin in the main event, with Randy Orton intervening to cause a non-finish; Rhodes was seen punting Corbin during the chaos.
• Damian Priest defeated R-Truth, but the match was stopped early due to an apparent injury to Truth, with FrAxiom intervening to prevent a post-match attack.
• Rey Fenix retained the AAA Cruiserweight Championship against Ricky Saints via disqualification after Saints pushed the referee, setting up a rematch.
• Paige defeated Nikki Bella using the AA, a move referencing their past connection to John Cena, potentially impacting Bella's title shot plans.
• Trick Williams defeated Johnny Gargano after an opening segment where Sami Zayn was interrupted by both competitors.

Background

This episode followed the Money in the Bank premium live event and preceded Crown Jewel on November 7. Recent weeks saw Sami Zayn reclaim the WWE Championship in September, creating a volatile title scene. The current instability in the Undisputed WWE Championship, with five changes this year, suggests strategic setups for upcoming events. Previous SmackDown episodes featured non-finishes and backstage tensions involving CM Punk and Kevin Owens, which continued to influence this week's booking.

How outlets are covering it

Ringside News provided a detailed spoiler lineup and backstage notes, predicting specific outcomes like Paige cheating to win and the main event non-finish. Bleacher Report offered live grades and reaction, noting that the R-Truth vs. Damian Priest match ended abruptly due to a possible real injury, which they deemed an odd booking decision if worked. Bleacher Report also criticized the opening segment between Sami Zayn, Trick Williams, and Johnny Gargano for being overly long and lacking material, while praising the competitive nature of the Williams vs. Gargano match. Both sources agreed on the main event's chaotic nature but differed in their assessment of the show's pacing and the authenticity of the R-Truth injury.

Why it matters

The non-finish in the main event and the injury to R-Truth create immediate storylines for the lead-up to Crown Jewel. The disqualification in the AAA Cruiserweight Championship match ensures a rematch, while Paige's victory over Nikki Bella may alter the women's division title picture. The continued instability of the WWE Championship and the involvement of top stars like Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton in chaotic segments highlight WWE's strategy to build momentum for its next major premium live event.

What to watch

WWE is expected to book a Street Fight between Blake Monroe and Giulia, a title match for Chelsea Green against Nikki Bella, and a match for Gunther and Danhausen in the coming weeks. A women's tag team title match between B-Fab and Michin against Alexa Bliss and Tatum Paxley is also anticipated. The rematch between Rey Fenix and Ricky Saints for the AAA Cruiserweight Championship is likely to be scheduled soon.