Cody Rhodes successfully defended his Undisputed WWE Championship at Bash in Berlin, defeating longtime friend Kevin Owens to retain his Title. Rhodes didn’t get much of a chance to bask in the victory though, as The Bloodline’s Solo Sikoa made it clear he wanted whoever emerged as Champion, and tonight Sikoa made good on that challenge and tried to brawl with Rhodes on SmackDown. SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis would interrupt the chaos and make a Championship match official for next week between Sikoa and Rhodes, but he then revealed that to keep the Bloodline out, it would be a Steel Cage match.
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A Familiar Challenger
Sikoa got in Rhodes’ face in the ring as The Bloodline stood at ringside, and the crowd let him know how they felt. Sikoa was undaunted though, but what he didn’t anticipate was Rhodes sewing some seeds of rivalry between The Bloodline. It seemed to be working too, at least for a minute, but Sikoa cut things off then said they could have the match right now.
What he meant of course was that The Bloodline could just attack Rhodes all at once, and Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, and Jacob Fatu all jumped up on the ring apron and got in the ring. Rhodes was incredibly outnumbered, but then DIY and The Street Profits came out to stand beside Rhodes, and it looked as if a brawl was about to break out.
Geneal Manger Nick Aldis then told everyone that if they started fighting they would be fined and suspended. He made his way to the ring and told everyone that they would have their time to tear each other apart in the main event, but then took a minute to address Rhodes. Aldis said the whole outnumbered thing was “getting a little old, bad for business. So I have a solution hat’s best of business. Next week, Solo Sikoa vs Cody Rhodes for the Championship… in a steel cage.”
SmackDown on USA
Now Rhodes and Sikoa will face each other next week in a Steel Cage match, which is a bit surprising since Bad Blood is right around the corner, and that would be an easy place to hold that Championship bout. There is also the possibility that The Bloodline still finds a way into the cage, as other teams have before, and if they do Rhodes could end up being overwhelmed by the entire faction by night’s end.
We’ll have to wait and see what happens, but a Steel Cage on a SmackDown is always a big deal, especially since next week’s SmackDown is the premiere on USA Network. You can talk all things wrestling with me on Threads and Twitter @mattaguilarcb!
