How Randy Orton's injury forced WWE to cancel their plans for Cody Rhodes on SmackDown
Randy Orton suffered a cruel fate on the latest episode of SmackDown as he fell prey to Kevin Owens' onslaught. Their intense brawl took an unwanted turn when Owens hit Orton with a vicious Piledriver—a move banned in WWE due to its detrimental nature. The 44-year-old was rushed to a hospital right away as he sustained an undisclosed cervical injury.
The Viper's injury forced WWE to cancel Cody Rhodes' plans for SmackDown. The American Nightmare was advertised to have a segment on the show this week to shed light on his direction after Crown Jewel. With Survivor Series 2024 Premium Live Event on the horizon, he was supposed to determine the next challenger for the Undisputed WWE Championship.
However, WWE had to scrap the segment in light of the ongoing situation with Randy Orton. As The Apex Predator was being escorted to the ambulance following the unfortunate incident, Rhodes immediately rushed onto the scene. He sat beside his best friend in the ambulance and left the building with him, accompanying Orton to the hospital.
The 39-year-old was nowhere to be seen for the rest of the show. Therefore, the originally planned segment for Cody Rhodes on the November 8 edition of SmackDown never happened. This, however, was part of the storyline to showcase the deep bond between the two superstars, as the latter was greatly concerned for Randy Orton, who has always been a mentor to him.
Meanwhile, it also played a key role in highlighting the severity of Kevin Owens' attack on the 14-time world champion. This has unraveled a new chapter within the ongoing storyline involving KO.
How WWE gave away Cody Rhodes' next feud amid Randy Orton's injury
While Cody Rhodes' address to the WWE Universe this week may have been scrapped, the company seemingly revealed several other things. The Stamford-based promotion subtly indicated that Randy Orton would be away from television for a considerable time.
WWE may have also given away that Cody Rhodes' upcoming feud is set to be with Kevin Owens. It is because KO's primary target has been The American Nightmare all this time, as his main rivalry was with the latter all along. Orton was just a stepping stone who came to the aid of the champion to teach The Prizefighter a lesson.
Now that The Apex Predator fell prey to a ruthless attack from Owens, Cody Rhodes could take the blame for his best friend's injury upon him. He could come after Kevin Owens next, looking for revenge. This could lead to a blockbuster feud between the two superstars amid Randy Orton's absence.
Rhodes and Owens could lock horns in a highly anticipated match at the Survivor Series: WarGames 2024 Premium Live Event. Therefore, Orton's injury angle on SmackDown was seemingly to lay the foundation of this feud.