Cody Rhodes will be on WWE SmackDown in Detroit this Friday. The American Nightmare’s upcoming appearance on the blue brand was advertised during RAW this past Monday. This will mark Rhodes’ first appearance on SmackDown as the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion.
For those unaware, Rhodes ended Roman Reigns’ historic run at WrestleMania 40. The American Nightmare got a major help from stars like Jey Uso, John Cena, Seth Rollins, and The Undertaker against The Bloodline.
WWE teased a match between The Rock and Cody Rhodes on RAW after WrestleMania XL. The Final Boss said he’ll come for the American Nightmare. It is safe to assume the champion will come across a new opponent on the blue brand as a filler feud till The Rock returns.
Let’s discuss these five potential opponents for Cody Rhodes on WWE SmackDown.
Solo Sikoa
Solo Sikoa cost Cody Rhodes his title match against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39. The Bloodline’s Enforcer tried to recreate the humiliating loss at WrestleMania 40. However, his attempt was thwarted by former opponent John Cena, who took him out with an Attitude Adjustment on the announce table.
We know that Cody’s feud with The Bloodline is far from over. That being said, The Rock and Roman Reigns both are presumably out of the champion’s path for the foreseeable future. Their absence leaves Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso as the two active members of The Bloodline. Since Solo has caused a lot of trouble for Cody, he could possibly step up to the champion.
AJ Styles has never faced Cody Rhodes in WWE
AJ Styles and Cody Rhodes have never crossed paths one on one. A feud between a heel Styles and a babyface Rhodes sounds great on paper. The Phenomenal One last competed for the top title at Royal Rumble 2024. He failed to win the championship that night.
Styles has accomplished everything in his illustrious career. He has won titles all over the world. His stacked resume makes him a great potential first opponent for Cody Rhodes and the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.
Ideally, Styles would reference his infamous win over Dusty Rhodes from NWA-TNA PPV #65 to build heat with Cody Rhodes.
Bobby Lashley
Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits capped off their program with The Final Testament at WrestleMania 40. Karrion Kross and Authors of Pain showed up on NXT this past Tuesday to put the brand’s tag team division on notice.
Lashley had previously talked about going after the WWE Championship. The Almighty never got the opportunity to fight Roman Reigns for the title. With Cody Rhodes as champion, however, things got be different.
Who knows, we may get Cody vs. Lashley for the WWE Undisputed Championship somewhere down the line.
LA Knight
Fans have been wanting to see LA Knight win a singles title on the main roster for so long. The Megastar had his moment ruined on multiple occasions. He failed to beat Roman Reigns at both Crown Jewel 2023 and Royal Rumble 2024.
Knight continues to get the biggest pop of the night on WWE SmackDown week in and out. I believe the fans won’t mind Knight interrupt Cody Rhodes this Friday to set up a possible feud for a major PLE.
Randy Orton has a history with Cody Rhodes
Cody Rhodes has never shied away from putting over Randy Orton as a superstar and a mentor. Both men were part of The Legacy stable with former WWE superstar Ted DiBiase Jr. It was Cody who announced Orton’s in-ring return from injury before Survivor Series: WarGames 2023.
Orton was there to celebrate Cody’s career-defining win at WrestleMania XL. The American Nightmare could five his former mentor a title shot out of respect and fans won’t mind. I, for one, would love to see a match between the two former stablemates for the WWE title.
Also read: Cody Rhodes Shares What He Would Tell His Father After WWE Championship Win
