All articles tagged with #cody rhodes
CM Punk is officially moved to SmackDown as the brand's top champion, with WWE promoting him for upcoming SmackDowns starting in Oklahoma City and NM house shows; a SummerSlam title defense against Cody Rhodes is expected after Punk's Raw return where he defeated Sami Zayn.
Raw in Chicago features Sami Zayn defending the WWE Championship against Cody Rhodes nine days after Night of Champions, amid rumors that CM Punk could return to challenge for the belt at SummerSlam; the show also includes three title bouts (including Sol Ruca vs. Raquel Rodriguez for the women’s Intercontinental title and Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins vs. Bron Breakker & Austin Theory for the World Tag Team titles) and ongoing build toward SummerSlam with Seth Rollins vs. Roman Reigns teased, along with various backstage angles and potential Punk moments indicating WWE may be rushing Zayn’s reign in favor of a Punk–Rhodes setup for the stadium show.
Atlantic City taped SmackDown spoilers reveal Cody Rhodes pinned Jey Uso in the main event, earning a showdown with Sami Zayn for the Undisputed Championship on next Friday’s SmackDown (July 7). The night also featured Jade Cargill/Michin/B-Fab defeating Flair/Stratton/Green, Rey Fenix retaining the AAA Cruiserweight title over Vikingo, Carmelo Hayes vs. Trick Williams set as a non-title match for July 10, and Danhausen announcing a JD McDonagh bout at MSG on July 18, along with Balor’s involvement in the Rhodes storyline and Uso sustaining an ankle injury but finishing the match.
Spoilers from the SmackDown tapings reveal Cody Rhodes defeated Jey Uso to become the #1 contender and will challenge Sami Zayn for the Undisputed WWE Championship on next week’s Raw from the Allstate Arena in Chicago; CM Punk’s potential Chicago return is rumored but not confirmed, and SmackDown also set Trick Williams vs. Carmelo Hayes in a non-title match.
Sami Zayn defeated Cody Rhodes and Gunther in a chaotic Night of Champions triple-threat in Saudi Arabia to win his first WWE Championship, sealing the victory with a roll-up on Rhodes as he attempted a second Cross Rhodes.
WWE Night of Champions 2026 in Riyadh features Cody Rhodes defending the Undisputed WWE Championship against Gunther and Sami Zayn in a triple threat, plus Queen of the Ring finals (Liv Morgan vs. IYO SKY), King of the Ring finals (Oba Femi vs. Jey Uso), a Steel Cage match (Bron Breakker vs. Seth Rollins), Tiffany Stratton vs. Jade Cargill for the Women’s US title, and Trick Williams vs. Ricky Saints for the Men’s US title; the event streams on ESPN in the US and Netflix internationally, with an 11 a.m. ET Countdown and a 1 p.m. ET main card.
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.
WWE plans CM Punk’s return on SmackDown after creative gaps were addressed, with a possible July debut tied to a Punk vs. Cody Rhodes program; Punk is expected to move to SmackDown once back on TV, balancing Raw’s top stars and SmackDown’s roster ahead of events like Night of Champions and SummerSlam.
WWE reportedly plans CM Punk’s return around SummerSlam, with a likely Cody Rhodes feud and possible SmackDown alignment to balance Raw’s top stars; a July 6 return on Raw in Chicago is floated, with Rhodes vs. Punk as a continuing direction across the brands.
WWE SmackDown serves a loaded night headlined by Gunther’s post‑loss fury that prompts a Cody Rhodes rematch, with Sami Zayn challenging Cody on trust and helping set up a stipulation for next week; the card also features Raquel Rodriguez winning a four‑way to bolster her title push, Dirty Dom advancing in King of the Ring with Judgment Day interference, and a multi‑woman segment where Jade Cargill pinned Tiffany Stratton. Side stories include Danhausen vs. Miz banter, Solo Sikoa laying down tough love for Royce, and ongoing Bloodline tensions building toward high‑stakes clashes, including potential SummerSlam implications.
Cody Rhodes will defend the Undisputed WWE Championship against Gunther in a rematch on the June 19 episode of SmackDown in Kansas City, with Gunther selecting the stipulation, continuing their clash following Clash in Italy.
After WWE Clash in Italy, Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns teased a continuing feud with a post-show staredown; Reigns retained the title by defeating Jacob Fatu in Tribal Combat, while Rhodes won the opening match against Gunther amid a controversial finish, and both traded barbs about who leads WWE, fueling ongoing tensions.
In the opening match of WWE Clash in Italy 2026 in Turin, Cody Rhodes defeated Gunther to retain the Undisputed Championship after delivering two Cross Rhodes; the finish was controversial as Gunther argued the bottom rope was touched, leading to a post‑match confrontation.
The Wrestling Observer reports updated betting odds for WWE Clash in Italy’s five matches, with Roman Reigns (-900) vs Jacob Fatu (+500), Brock Lesnar (-350) vs Oba Femi (+210), Cody Rhodes (-155) vs Gunther (+115), Rhea Ripley (-2500) vs Jade Cargill (+800), and Sol Ruca (-125) vs Becky Lynch (-115).
On SmackDown’s go-home show for Clash in Italy, Gunther and Cody Rhodes traded barbs, with Gunther reaffirming his vow to end Rhodes’ run and capture the WWE Championship, a boast he previously tied to ending the careers of Goldberg, AJ Styles, and John Cena.