3 WWE stars Cody Rhodes should face next instead of Solo Sikoa
Cody Rhodes has defended his Undisputed WWE Championship against several SmackDown Superstars since WrestleMania XL, and it seems like The American Nightmare is headed for another clash with Solo Sikoa. However, there could be other superstars the 39-year-old could face on the blue brand.
Since winning the Undisputed WWE Championship, Cody Rhodes has defended the title against AJ Styles, Logan Paul, Solo Sikoa, and most recently, Kevin Owens. The self-proclaimed Tribal Chief of The Bloodline stated ahead of Cody's encounter with KO that he would face the winner of their match, but some fans weren't happy with the news.
Due to this, the Stamford-based promotion could have a few more superstars to face The American Nightmare next instead.
For this list, we will look at three superstars who can challenge Cody Rhodes next instead of Solo Sikoa:
#3. Shinsuke Nakamura could finally make his long-awaited return to WWE TV and challenge Cody Rhodes
Shinsuke Nakamura has been absent from WWE TV since April 2024. The King of Strong Style was drafted to Friday Night SmackDown during the annual Draft earlier this year. However, he has yet to make a televised appearance. That said, Nakamura has been regularly competing in live events, especially against Cody Rhodes.
Both men also had a history on Monday Night RAW, which they could revisit on SmackDown. At the beginning of this year, Cody and Shinsuke clashed in matches like Street Fight and Strap Match. The reigning Undisputed WWE Champion emerged victorious in both those encounters.
The King of Strong Style could reason that he has since improved and was aware of Rhodes' strengths and weaknesses better than ever after sharing the ring on several occasions.
#2. Cody Rhodes could finally have a long-awaited feud with Randy Orton
Ever since Cody Rhodes became the Undisputed WWE Champion, fans have been clamoring for him to feud with his former Legacy teammate, Randy Orton. Both men have an extensive history both inside and outside the ring, and seeds for their feud may have already been planted in the past few months.
Randy recently failed to defeat Gunther for the World Heavyweight Championship at Bash in Berlin, which means The Viper is back on SmackDown. While he could reunite with Rhodes against The Bloodline, The Apex Predator could shockingly turn heel and signal his intentions to go after Cody's title.
#1. Cody Rhodes could pick another member of the Anoa'i family as his next opponent
After possibly rejecting Solo Sikoa's challenge on this week's SmackDown, Cody could rub salt in The Street Champ's wounds by stating that apart from Roman Reigns, another member of the Anoa'i family was better than the self-proclaimed Tribal Chief. This could lead to a vicious attack on Solo from a returning Jimmy Uso.
As many may recall, Solo kicked Jimmy out of The Bloodline on the SmackDown after WrestleMania XL. Fans have not seen Jimmy since, but reports have stated that the former Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champion has been medically cleared to return.
After Jimmy's potential attack on Solo Sikoa this week, Rhodes could pick Uso as his next challenger. This would add another layer to The Bloodline saga, as Solo and Co. would undeniably try to rob Jimmy of a potential title win, eventually leading to Uso's reunion with Roman Reigns.