4 signs Solo Sikoa might dethrone Cody Rhodes to become Undisputed WWE Champion next week
WWE Friday Night SmackDown is going through major changes. Last night's edition of the blue brand was the final episode to be held on the FOX Network. Next week's show and each program moving forward will air on the USA Network.
As part of an ongoing celebration, USA Network is hosting WWE Week over the next seven days. RAW, SmackDown, and NXT will all have their season premieres. Additionally, a Bray Wyatt special will air following NXT on Tuesday.
Perhaps the biggest hook of the next week will be Cody Rhodes defending his world title against Solo Sikoa. Not only will the two men have a SummerSlam rematch, but the two will compete in a Steel Cage Match.
While the smart bet is typically to choose the defender when it comes to televised title matches, some signs point to Solo Sikoa being the one to dethrone The American Nightmare. This article will take a look at a handful of indicators that this title change might be happening.
Below are four signs Solo Sikoa might dethrone Cody Rhodes to become Undisputed WWE Champion next week.
#4. SmackDown's return to USA Network likely needs a major moment
As noted, Friday Night SmackDown is moving away from the FOX Network. After spending five years on the program, the blue brand will be moving to USA Network for another five years. This is a big shakeup for WWE.
With the major move, Triple H and company officials will want to make an immediate impact. That is why they've booked such a major match for next week, but they could take it further than just a world title bout inside of a steel cage.
If Solo Sikoa dethrones The American Nightmare on blue brand, the debut of WWE SmackDown on USA Network will be remembered forever. That may be an indication of a big title change taking place.
#3. A feud between Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu was teased
The next sign that Solo Sikoa may be the one to dethrone Cody Rhodes of the Undisputed WWE Championship is a teaser that took place on SmackDown last night. Solo Sikoa seemingly had tension with another member of The Bloodline.
Cody Rhodes teased that Solo Sikoa wasn't The Bloodline member who should have a shot at the Undisputed WWE Championship and instead, it should be Jacob Fatu. Jacob and Solo had a moment and Sikoa was clearly unhappy.
While The Samoan Werewolf ultimately opted to show his love for Solo and back down, the teaser is in place for the two to clash. This is likely a sign that Solo will win the prized belt and that he and Fatu will fight over it in the future.
#2. Roman Reigns is unlikely to be out of the WWE Championship picture for long
Yet another major indicator that a title change could take place on WWE Friday Night SmackDown is Roman Reigns. The Tribal Chief is back on television, at least mostly, and he is feuding with Solo Sikoa.
Roman Reigns has been WWE's most pushed star for around a decade now. He is almost always involved with the world title and the main event. That isn't likely to change any time soon and that in and of itself is a sign that a title change is very possible, if not flat-out probable.
The Tribal Chief feuding with Solo Sikoa is entertaining, but the odds of a world title not being involved seem slim. Solo will probably win the world title from Cody Rhodes so he and Roman can clash over the biggest prize in wrestling.
#1. Cody Rhodes doesn't have any obvious feuds lined up any time soon
The final sign that a title change could be taking place in the near future is Cody Rhodes and what his championship reign looks like. So far, Cody's reign as Undisputed WWE Champion has seen him defeat Solo Sikoa, Logan Paul, Kevin Owens, and AJ Styles on two separate occasions.
Looking ahead, however, it isn't clear who Cody might feud with. Some believe a feud with The Rock will happen, but others think The Final Boss might have a match with Roman Reigns instead. Otherwise, there aren't many stars left for The American Nightmare to fight.
It may be time for Cody's reign to wrap up, and if that is the case, it might happen as soon as on Friday Night SmackDown next week. From there, Cody can be engaged with non-title stories and the belt can move on to the next angle.