The first night of WWE SmackDown’s return to USA Network was pretty eventful with Roman Reigns’ big return opening the show and a big Bad Blood match being made official at the end of the episode.
The Original Tribal Chief made his return to confront the Bloodline after Cody Rhodes scored another victory over Solo Sikoa in the cage match. He made the save for the Undisputed WWE Champion and the two worked together for a bit to take out the faction.
Nick Aldis then announced that Cody and Roman will be teaming to take on The Bloodline at the upcoming WWE PPV. The American Nightmare declined the offer at first, claiming that he was done with the group.
The main event of the show then saw a confrontation between the two top stars being cut short by an attempted sneak attack from Tonga Loa and Tama Tonga. Realizing that he had no other choice, Rhodes finally agreed to the tag bout, signing the contract to end the broadcast.
WWE released a video of Roman Reigns after the show went off air. The former champion was the first to exit the ring and his expressions say that he is still not sure about the team up:
A Bull Rope match featuring current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes has been announced for an upcoming UK Event.
The company announced the return of the classic stipulation on its website early on Monday morning. The match will be taking place at the upcoming live event from Co-op Live Arena in Manchester on Wednesday, October 16. The American Nightmare will defend his title against Solo Sikoa at the show.
Other matches currently advertised for the event include Gunther vs. Jey Uso for the World Title and Nia Jax vs. Bayley for the Women’s Championship. Apart from this, names such as LA Knight, Shinsuke Nakamura, Bianca Belair, and Jade Cargill are also listed for the event.
A Bull Rope match sees two opponents being bound by a 14-foot bull rope and a cowbell. The attachments are considered legal during the contest and the first person to score a pinfall or submission wins the match,
This won’t be the first Bull Rope match Cody Rhodes competes in during his WWE career. He previously defeated Shinsuke Nakamura in a match of the same stipulation during the February 5, 2024 episode of Monday Night Raw.
Cody’s dad Dusty Rhodes was part of many classic encounters under the stipulation and he played a crucial part in making it popular.
He defeated the likes of Gary Hart and Terry Funk while competing under the same stipulation in the 70s. Dusty’s match with ‘Superstar’ Billy Graham during a 1977 Madison Square Garden event was one of the very early instances of the bout. It helped establish it as a serious stipulation.
The late Hall of Famer’s final wrestling match was actually a Bull Rope match. The bout where Randy Orton defeated the wrestling legend took place during the 2007 Great American Bash event. Cody Rhodes made the save for his father after this bout.
Cody Rhodes will defend his Undisputed WWE Championship against The Bloodline’s Solo Sikoa in a Steel Cage Match on next week’s SmackDown premiere on USA Network.
Last night’s SmackDown marked the final edition of the show on FOX. Cody Rhodes is coming off a successful title defense against Kevin Owens at Bash In Berlin PLE. However, his arch-rival Solo Sikoa still has his sights set on the title.
Sikoa was unsuccessful in challenging Rhodes for the title at last month’s SummerSlam which saw the shocking return of Roman Reigns. Last night on SmackDown, Solo Sikoa once again demanded for a title match against ‘The American Nightmare.’
However, the champ refused and offered a title shot to The Bloodline member Jacob Fatu. Fatu turned down the opportunity and instead endorsed Sikoa for the shot at gold.
SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis then confirmed that Cody Rhodes will put his title on the line against Solo Sikoa on the September 13 edition of SmackDown. However, that will be contested in a Steel Cage to ensure The Bloodline members don’t interfere.
WWE is certainly trying to make SmackDown premiere on USA Network star-studded. A couple of more matches have also been added to the show. Andrade and Carmelo Hayes are set to battle in a rubber match for their Best of Five Serie as both men are tied with two wins.
On the other hand, A-Town Down Under (Grayson Waller and Austin Theory) will face Kevin Owens and a partner of his choosing. Waller challenged KO to this match during a conversation with SmackDown GM Nick Aldis backstage on last night’s show.
Cody Rhodes is the unquestionable top babyface in WWE today and has a legion of fans who have supported him throughout his ‘story.’ Rhodes
On Wednesday, September 4, Punk rock musician Wesley Eisold filed a lawsuit against Rhodes, WWE, and the promotion’s merchandising partner Fanatics. The complaint, filed in federal court in California, alleges trademark infringement, breach of contract, and intentional interference with contractual relations.
Eisold is the co-founder and lead singer of the band ‘American Nightmare‘ which has been active off and on since 1998. According to a USPTO filing, Eisold has held a trademark for American Nightmare for use in music, clothing, and entertainment services since 2016. In addition to recovering attorneys fees, Eisold is seeking damages of at least $150,000, as well as treble damages of up to $300,000 related to federal trademark infringement.
Cody Rhodes & Wesley Eisold
In March 2019, Rhodes applied for a trademark on ‘The American Nightmare‘ for the use in wrestling that Eisold opposed. The pair agreed to a settlement in March 2021 which allowed for Rhodes to use the term. Rhodes was with AEW at the time but has since returned to WWE where he continues to go by the nickname.
Under the settlement, Rhodes was allowed to use “American Nightmare” on merchandise under the condition that Rhodes’ name, likeness, or wrestling-related imager was at least 75% larger than the American Nightmare term, differing it from Eisold’s own merch. Eisold claims that Rhodes, WWE, and Fanatics have violated that agreement by selling merchandise that doesn’t fit that requirement.
Eisold’s suit claims that WWE is selling several items through Fanatics with the American Nightmare term that doesn’t fit the previously agreed criteria. Eisold specifically references Rhodes’ ‘Crown T-Shirt design’ that does not contain Cody’s name or an image of him. The only wrestling-related image on the shirt is a WWE logo that is on the sleeve and not the main design.
Eisold’s complaint also alleges that the confusion on social media is evident. m
“Fans of WWE and wrestling continue to frequently tag [social media accounts for the musical band] the American Nightmare in Facebook and social media posts… Fans attending American Nightmare concerts and other events—including in California and specifically this judicial district—wear both the Runnels [Rhodes] clothes and the Eisold clothes.”
Eisold’s legal representatives reached out to Rhodes’ lawyer in 2022 about the Crown shirt, but didn’t receive a reply, the suit adds. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest on this developing story.
Cody Rhodes is the unquestionable face of WWE today and is riding high in his first reign as Undisputed WWE Champion. The American Nightmare has a legion of fans wherever he goes, and that was made perfectly clear during the promotion’s recent European tour.
The Undisputed WWE Champion topped the merch sales charts for the recent tour, Fightful Select reports, while WWE RAW’s CM Punk took the #2 spot. The highest-grossing item at WWE Bash In Berlin was a weightlifting belt signed by Rhodes, the report adds.
Both Cody and Punk triumphed at WWE’s first PLE in Germany, with Rhodes retaining his championship against Kevin Owens in the show’s opener. Later in the night, Punk defeated McIntyre in a strap match and WWE had a reason behind Punk’s dominance over the Scottish Warrior.
The next month, Rhodes proved that his merchandise success at WrestleMania was no fluke as he was the only wrestler to appear on Fanatics’ top ten list of overall sellers. This was no small feat for Rhodes as Fanatics carries NBA and NFL products amongst its catalog as well as WWE. Rhodes’ popularity is proving to be undeniable in WWE and this latest European tour is just the latest sign that Cody Rhodes is truly undeniable.
With a roster of premiere talent across its brands, Cody Rhodes has emerged as the leader WWE can champion in any capacity. Saturday’s Bash In Berlin post-show was the perfect example of that.
Rhodes had to make the EVP hot tag for Triple H by providing the attendance figures for Berlin. That alone is a testament to the confidence they have in Cody as their Atlas, and he excelled in several ways. Rhodes has the ability to walk the tightrope of keeping the company in mind while also being forthright in a press conference where he doesn’t necessarily have to be. The trust is there, and for good reason.
Cody navigated a Randy Orton question that in all likelihood played spoiler to a major storyline planned, but that was just the warm-up to the crossfire he was about to get in. Rhodes got the double-barrel aimed his way when he was asked outright about the Netflix Vince McMahon docu-series, a question that deserved to be asked, but there were two more add-ons: “Why has the locker room been so silent” and “do you believe Janel Grant?”
Handling Difficult Situations
Both questions were more sensational than professional. 1) Many prominent figures had addressed the situation when the story initially broke, and 2) Cody shouldn’t be put in a position to play judge. It was clearly a question designed to generate headlines, and it succeeded, but Rhodes navigated the waters beautifully, saying, “I don’t know enough about the information to give you a good enough answer. I’m sorry.”
Regarding the perceived silence in the locker room, Rhodes noted, “I don’t think that’s a matter of belief versus non-belief. I think, strictly speaking, we want to be doing what we were doing out there.” He mentioned that the locker room learned about the documentary just as the rest of the world did.
He handled the questions with such skill that even a seasoned White House press secretary would be impressed.
Cody Rhodes always makes a grand entrance (WWE)
Cody’s position at the forefront of WWE’s brand is a testament to both his individual efforts and the company’s support. His merchandise sales are booming, a clear indication of his popularity and the fans’ embrace of his genuine babyface persona, a sentiment that had seemed absent since the Hulkamania era.
The First Cody Rhodes
Cody’s revival of this classic persona has been a welcome addition to the new era of WWE. CM Punk and Damian Priest effectively fill those alternative roles on RAW, but Cody, as the modern-day Babe Ruth, provides WWE (and pro wrestling as a whole) with a sense of positive nostalgia, reimagined for today’s audience.
Fans are concerned with Cody getting overshadowed by a Roman Reigns babyface run, but Reigns feels like he’ll basically have the schedule he’s used to. The consistency is what will keep Rhodes the guy the company can lean on. The presence of both feels like they’ll enhance rather than hinder one another. That table was already set with Roman helping Cody retain at SummerSlam. Adversaries becoming allies always creates intrigue, and the two may have a “Final Boss” to deal with during WrestleMania season.
Cody’s rise also coincides with John Cena’s retirement tour in 2025. Cena held that role for years when the crowd wasn’t willing to embrace it, but Cena stayed the course through the “Cena sucks” chants and fans ultimately appreciated him for it. Cody’s mentioned how he’s learned a lot about merchandise sales from John, but Cena undoubtedly laid the groundwork by showing staying steady in that role ultimately pays off.
For all of the talk of the next John Cena, Cody Rhodes is forging his own path in this new modern era. It’s all about playing the long-game, and Rhodes is WWE’s new marathon man.
Cody Rhodes retained his WWE Undisputed Championship against Kevin Owens, but could he have another friend to face in Randy Orton?
During the Bash In Berlin post-show, Rhodes addressed plenty as he was also tagging in for Triple H who was unavailable for the post-show due to his daughter beginning college. However, after he got done with the nuts and bolts of the numbers, Rhodes was asked if he could envision Randy Orton as a future opponent for him after he was caught eyeing up the WWE Title months back.
Before Rhodes answered, he did take time to congratulate and thank both Orton and GUNTHER for the ‘house,’ after they headlined the Bash In Berlin, the highest grossing arena event in WWE history.
“Gosh, I don’t want to give you a bad answer, but that match, a lot would have to happen for that match to take place. Again, that’s a very real relationship and friendship in the mentor and the student, but it’s certainly not something I would back down from.
’cause like I just said, sometimes the people you want to know how you’ve grown the most is the ones closest to you and nobody’s closer to me than Randy Orton so if it happens, that’s a lot of drama.”
– Cody Rhodes
A battle between Orton and Rhodes seems more than likely to occur at some point. Even against Kevin Owens, Cody seemed in dire straits, but Owens couldn’t take advantage due to his friendship and it cost him opportunities to win the title. That could have led to a massive heel turn, but after the match KO kept his cool.
Cody Rhodes took on a big leadership role following WWE Bash In Berlin after addressing a very loaded question regarding Vince McMahon.
At today's press conference Cody Rhodes responds to a question about Janel Grant's allegations and the Vince McMahon Netflix documentary pic.twitter.com/64zsExCrYG
Rhodes kicked off the post-show by addressing the media, noting that Triple H was unable to be there due to his daughter heading to college for the first time. Rhodes took several questions before he was asked if he was going watch the forthcoming “Mr. McMahon” docuseries on Netflix and why he thinks the locker room has been silent regarding the Janel Grant case. Rhodes answered both his questions and started off light-hearted by saying he was currently “deep in a Game of Thrones rewatch.”
“I think there’s a bit misinformation in terms of WWE has no involvement in this documentary as far as I know. I imagine I’d get around to seeing it.”
As far as it goes with the locker room “being silent” Rhodes offered a different perspective for the talent.
“I don’t think that’s a matter of ‘belief’ vs. ‘non-belief’ I think it’s strictly speaking we want to be doing what we’re doing out there and the focus and attention it takes: 13,149 people to have a great story and have a great match and do that every single night has left most of us where we’re finding the information out just as you are and that includes the resolution of this information in terms of what happened, how it happened and how justice comes about whatever it may be, but I wouldn’t look at it as an active attempt from the locker to be silent in the attempt we just are doing what we do, day-to-day, WWE business.”
It was Cody Rhodes vs. Kevin Owens who fired off Bash In Berlin and the two allies didn’t disappoint, but are they allies for long?
Berlin was all about cheering for both fighters during the opening match as dueling chants echoed throughout the Uber Arena, much like the action in the bout itself.
The underlying story was that Cody was fighting with a rumored knee injury as Michael Cole and Wade Barrett put a good deal of focus on Cody’s struggle. Owens hit two major high spots to take it to Cody including an avalanche brainbuster and a top rop senton.
Owens showed frustration when those spots didn’t keep Rhodes down and matters begin to escalate when Cody jammed his knee after an attempted Cody Cutter. Owens eyed the knee, but stopped himself from acting. Cody shoved Owens, telling him he can still fight and that made KO fired up. He almost did his devastating apron powerbomb but stopped himself once again.
Post fight, Owens was clearly frustrated, but swallowed some humble pie to embrace Cody and raise his hand.
Even though Owens didn’t turn heel tonight, that doesn’t mean he won’t in weeks to come. Triple H has proven to let storylines slowly develop and not make matters immediate. One matter is for certain is that Berlin was hot for both men for the opening match.
Cody Rhodes has opened up about his mindset during the infamous segment with The Rock after his Royal Rumble 2024 victory.
The Undisputed WWE Champion recently had an interview with Inside The Ropes. He discussed things such as how his daughter motivates him to continue working hard, his AEW exit, and more.
When the topic of the build to WrestleMania 40 came up, Cody was asked about comments made by The Rock’s personal writer Brian Gewirtz about his infamous segment with The People’s Champ. Gewirtz had expressed that Rhodes could have looked more enthusiastic while handing his Mania opportunity to The Great One.
The American Nightmare explained that Brian might be right because things were so real that he wasn’t thinking of himself as a performer in the moment:
“He might have a point. He might, only because I didn’t think of myself. The moment was so real—I guess I didn’t think of myself in a performance sense of ‘You’re not smiling or you are smiling,’ and then the Final Boss had whispered something in my ear that was actually really kind and nice, and I did smile.
And then, I think not so much about my face; the thing I remember about it is I wanted to get out of there. I wanted to get out of there. I did want them to have their moment. I wanted to be gone. I didn’t want people to linger on me.”
The segment in question happened during the February 2 episode of SmackDown, days after Rhodes won the 2024 Royal Rumble.
Due to his expressions, fans started a huge campaign on social media rejecting the idea of The Rock taking his spot. The backlash forced the Hollywood star to change his plans and it put Cody back on the path to finish his story.
Talking about his expressions during the segment, Cody Rhodes explained that he didn’t think the production would focus so much on him. He was just looking to get out of the spotlight as soon as possible:
“It seems like…I would never shade our production team, especially with what Brian Fadem, and Lee Fitting – everyone is doing. I think they might have spent a little too much time focused on me in the first place—and not focused on that potential matchup. Because, yeah, I don’t think I offered up, Brian probably has a point, I don’t think I offered up the best faces for what that should have been.
I certainly wasn’t trying to be a ‘boo-boo’ face—you know, boo boo is famous in the industry when something’s up and you can tell upon somebody’s entrance. But maybe I was like the number one case of it of all time—who knows?
I did not think they would spend so much time on me. I did not think they would be looking at me while I was in the aisle. I just wanted to get back to my bus. I actually didn’t go through gorilla; I walked around it. I didn’t want to see anybody. I just sprinted and got on my bus and just locked the door.”
Cody Rhodes is currently scheduled to defend his Undisputed WWE Championship against Kevin Owens at the Bash In Berlin PPV on August 31. You can check out the betting odds for the show here.
Two eras. One legacy. Toy manufacturer FOCO has announced the release of a Cody Rhodes and Dusty Rhodes WWE American Dream-American Nightmare Dual Bobblehead. The handcrafted and hand-painted collectible portrays two of the most popular pro wrestlings in history wearing their ring gear in action poses looking ready to take on the competition.
“The American Dream” and “The American Nightmare” text were emblazoned on the front of the base of the display. The thematic, split-color base brings a double dose of WWE greatness. It’s the perfect addition to fans young and old.
The American Dream and the Tmerican Nightmare
This is the latest in a series of high-quality bobbleheads from FOCO, which prides itself on being the leading manufacturer of sports and entertainment merchandizing celebrating more than 20 years in the industry. So many have been immortalized in bobblehead form from nWo, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, and Roddy Piper to LA Knight, Seth Rollins, and AJ Styles.
Along with WWE, they have also licensed all major sports leagues including NFL, NBA, NHL, NASCAR, MLS, and over 200 colleagues and universities as well as other entertainment properties such as Nickelodeon and Peanuts.
Visit Foco.com to preorder the Cody Rhodes and Dusty Rhodes Bobblehead set and see their full line of wrestling merchandise.
USA Network’s show, ‘Scare Tactics’ is making a comeback next month. It has come to light that the show will feature guest stars such as WWE’s The New Day, and the Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes.
A trailer suggests that Cody Rhodes scared The New Day. Kofi Kingston shared the trailer on social media and revealed how ‘The American Nightmare’ pranked them.
The return of the series was originally announced in July. The upcoming ‘Scare Tactics’ reboot has set its official premiere date. It has been announced that the horror-comedy prank series will premiere on October 4 at 10 p.m. ET on USA Network and it will also air simultaneously on fellow NBCUniversal networks Bravo, Syfy, and E!.
Flip has been named the host of the new season. He is described as “a spectral pre-teen obsessed with horror movies and fascinated by human fear.” He creates horrific cinematic scenarios and puts real people into the leading roles.
Scare Tactics
‘Scare Tactics’ is one of the most popular horror-comedy prank series. Each episode follows unsuspecting people as they are set up by family and friends to enter staged horror scenarios that are captured on hidden cameras.
The original ‘Scare Tactics’ aired for five seasons between 2003 and 2013 on Syfy. Shannen Doherty was the original host of the show, succeeded by Stephen Baldwin and Tracy Morgan.
Jordan Peele is the executive producer of ‘Scare Tactics’ with Win Rosenfeld and Jamal Watson under their Monkeypaw Productions banner. On the other hand, Scott Hallock is the executive producer for WMTI Productions, Inc. while Elan Gale is the executive producer and showrunner. WMTI Productions, Inc. owns the “Scare Tactics” format and Universal Television Alternative Studio produces in association with Monkeypaw and WMTI.
WWE is officially on the road to their next premium live event, Bash In Berlin, which will take place on August 31 in Berlin, Germany. Ahead of the PLE, the company stopped for a live house show at the Rudolf Weber Arena in Oberhausen, Germany, on August 27.
The card featured several matchups from the Friday Night Smackdown roster as WWE prepares for a live episode on August 30 at the Uber Arena in Berlin, Germany. The house show also had WWE World Heavyweight Champion Gunther, Ilja Dragunov, and Sheamus competing to represent the Monday Night RAW brand. In the main event, Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes put his title on the line against AJ Styles.
WWE Results (8/27)
Here are the results(Provided by Cagematch) for the latest WWE house show:
WWE United States Championship Fatal Four Way Match: (C) LA Knight b. Ludwig Kaiser, Sheamus, and Shinsuke Nakamura
DIY (Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa) b. Pretty Deadly (Elton Prince & Kit Wilson)
WWE Women’s Championship Match: Bayley b. (C) Nia Jax via DQ
Bayley & Naomi b. Nia Jax & Tiffany Stratton
WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match: (C) Gunther b. Ilja Dragunov
Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill b. Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell
WWE Tag Team Championship Match: (C) The Bloodline (Tama Tonga & Tonga Loa) with Jacob Fatu b. A-Town Down Under (Austin Theory & Grayson Waller) and The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford)
Undisputed WWE Championship Match: (C) Cody Rhodes b. AJ Styles
Reactions From WWE Road To Bash In Berlin Event
WWE fans who attended the show have expressed their enjoyment on social media by sharing photos and videos from the event. The company has also shared a post on X of Kaiser making his entrance in his home country, which received a huge reaction from the crowd.
WWE Continues To Build Momentum Ahead Of Bash In Berlin
The company will continue its road to Bash In Berlin with two more house shows before Smackdown. WWE will hold events at the Porsche Arena in Stuttgart, Germany, on August 28 and at the Festhalle Frankfurt in Frankfurt, Germany, on August 29. Tickets for both shows are still on sale on Ticketmaster.
The tour through Germany has given fans a taste of what to expect at the PLE this Saturday. Based on the reactions from those attending the house shows this week, Bash In Berlin should have a great crowd to witness some of WWE’s best superstars compete live.
WWE could be hosting a Premium Live Event in Belgium down the line if comments made this week by Cody Rhodes are to be believed. Rhodes, like much of the roster, is taking part in WWE’s ongoing tour of Europe that’ll conclude this weekend with the WWE Bash in Berlin PLE on August 31.
On August 26, WWE hosted a live event in Brussels that saw Rhodes defeat AJ Styles to retain his title in the show’s main event. Afterward, Rhodes grabbed a fan’s sign that read ‘Belgium Wants A PLE.’ Cody told the fans that based on the raucous reactions all night long, it feels like Belgium deserves a PLE.
WWE has embraced hosting international PLEs in recent years and 2024 has proven to be a pivotal year for that movement. In 2024, WWE will host eight main roster PLEs outside of the United States, while just four events will have happened in the U.S. Stay tuned to SEScoops for all the latest on WWE PLEs as the promotion continues to embrace going overseas for its biggest shows of the year.
Cody Rhodes continues to prove to be undeniable as the merchandise figures from the recent Fanatics Fest NYC event have shown. Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin congratulated Cody Rhodes on being WWE’s top merchandise seller over the weekend. In a video, Rubin said that Rhodes was “without question” driving merchandise for WWE.
When you hear it from the man himself, it hits different.
Humbled and honored by the continued support of the @WWE Universe ??
This accolade is just the latest sign of success for the reigning Undisputed WWE Champion. Rhodes has consistently been among WWE’s top merchandise sellers since his return to the promotion in April 2022. In May of this year, Rhodes was the only wrestler to appear on Fanatics’ top ten list of overall sellers. This is no small feat for Rhodes as Fanatics carries NBA and NFL products amongst its catalog as well as WWE.
Issues At Fanatics Fest NYC
While Rhodes triumphed in terms of merchandise, his appearance at the third day of the convention did not go smoothly. PW Insider reports that some fans received refunds due to some Superstar signing sessions being oversold. As a result, talent, including Rhodes, were pulled from those to then make other planned appearances at the event.
Due to his busy schedule, Rhodes reportedly missed a scheduled appearance at the press conference for the November fight between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson on Netflix. The streaming giant will become the host of Monday Night RAW starting in January 2025. Rubin reportedly personally asked for Rhodes to appear for the segment but that didn’t happen.
Because of a WWE live event later in the day, Rhodes had to leave Fanatics Fest NYC to make it to the show in Fort Myers, FL. Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful reports that Cody had a strict departure time and that fans who didn’t get a photo with him can get refunds, and that it was reiterated that this was not Rhodes’ fault.
The legacy of the Rhodes family has taken another huge step this week with the AEW in-ring debuts of Wayne and Wyatt Rhodes. The brothers made their debut in a dark match during Saturday’s AEW Collision tapings, taking on Aaron Solo and Jon Cruz. Wayne & Wyatt are the nephews of Dustin and Cody Rhodes and used the tag-team name The New Texas Outlaws for their match. The moniker is an homage to the tag team consisting of their grandfather Dusty Rhodes and Dick Murdoch.
The taping was an extra special night for the Rhodes family, as in addition to Wayne and Wyatt’s debut, their uncle Dustin became a champion. Rhodes became a double champion in Ring of Honor, winning the ROH Tag Team titles with Sammy Guevara by defeating Matt Taven and Mike Bennett. Dustin also holds the ROH Six-Man Tag Team titles with Marshall and Ross Von Erich.
#ANDNEW#ROH World Tag Team Champions Dustin Rhodes & Sammy Guevara!
As for Cody, the Undisputed WWE Champion, he will defend his gold against Kevin Owens at the WWE Bash In Berlin later this month. Stay tuned to SE Scoops for all the latest on the Rhodes family and their ongoing development in wrestling.
The first WWE Bad Blood PLE in over two decades could be a night of surprises if Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes is to be believed. The show will take place on October 5, from the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. It will be WWE’s fourth Bad Blood event and the first show under the name since June 2004.
Speaking with Variety, Rhodes shared his excitement for Bad Blood, which will mark WWE’s first PLE in Atlanta since Day 1 2022, and Rhodes’ first PLE in his hometown since returning to WWE. The American Nightmare also teased some surprises in store for the October event.
“Atlanta has always influenced culture… Bad Blood could be the biggest Premium Live Event since WrestleMania and we have some surprises in store.”
“As a lifelong fan of the WWE it was an honor to work with the legend and undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes… Cody’s story is inspiring to me, as I’m sure it is to millions of others.”
No matches have been confirmed for WWE Bad Blood 2024, though many fans are predicting a Hell in a Cell match. The three previous events in the show’s history have all featured matches in the barbaric structure with Triple H winning two of those three matches (and having an outside role in the other.) Stay tuned to SE Scoops for all the latest on WWE Bad Blood and the career of Cody Rhodes as WWE’s top name.
Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes is confident that his nephews will enter the family business, potentially as future WWE Superstars. Speaking to Justin Barrasso for SI, Rhodes addressed his family’s legacy in wrestling and looked towards the future.
“Behind the curtain are my nephews, Dalton and Dylan. They’re close with Dustin, and to see them go from playing around to the point where now I can see it–it’s one of those things where, once you start, you can’t stop…. They’re not ready to wrestle Jacob Fatu just yet, but they’ll get there.”
Cody went on to say that the Rhodes family legacy in wrestling will not end with him, such is his confidence that a new generation of Rhodes’ will wrestle. In a nod to his WWE adversaries, the Undisputed Champion added that “We have our own Bloodline.”
The Rhodes Family
Cody is, as he’s served to remind fans multiple times, the son of Dusty Rhodes and Cody’s relationship with his father has played heavily into his WWE return and his storylines since coming back at WrestleMania 38. Cody’s half-brother Dustin is still wrestling in AEW/Ring of Honor and currently holds the ROH World Six Man Tag-Team Championships with Ross & Marshall Von Erich.
As for Dalton and Dylan, they are both currently studying at the University of Texas. Their mother is eager for the boys to finish their studies, Cody added in his interview with SI. Stay tuned to SE Scoops for the latest on Cody Rhodes and the potential next generation of Rhodes’ in the ring.
Cody Rhodes will be one busy individual for the month of August as he continues to represent WWE as the Undisputed WWE Champion. Fresh off a successful title defense at SummerSlam which saw the return of Roman Reigns, Rhodes shared his WWE schedule for this month.
The American Nightmare will appear at every episode of WWE SmackDown this month, as well as seven WWE live events. Five of these untelevised events will be part of the ‘Road to Bash In Berlin’ tour that will see Cody and others compete in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany ahead of the August 31 show in Berlin. On the August 9, edition of WWE SmackDown, it was confirmed that Rhodes will defend against Kevin Owens at the event.
Rhodes will also be at the final day Fanatics Fest NYC event that will run from August 16, to August 18. The event will continue WWE’s relationship with Fanatics as the latter already produces and distributes WWE merchandise on its website. Despite appearing at the event, Rhodes will still make the WWE live event in Fort Myers, Florida that same day.
Rhodes’ busy schedule represents his desire to be a workhorse champion who is willing to represent WWE as much as he can, whether it be on PLEs, at untelevised live events, or out of the ring entirely. This reign has proven to be in stark contrast to Roman Reigns who competed just eleven times in 2023 and has had just three matches so far in 2024.
The WWE Bash in Berlin event has just been given another major title matchup.
The August 9th WWE SmackDown opened up with Cody Rhodes once again getting confronted by Solo Sikoa and The Bloodline, with Solo demanding another title shot after he lost to the American Nightmare at SummerSlam. The group approached the ring to beat down the champ, but Kevin Owens ran out and helped chase The Bloodline off.
The excitement didn’t end there. Before Owens could leave Cody told the Prizefighter that he wanted to reward him for helping him fight The Bloodline off for the last year, and offered him a title shot at Bash in Berlin. However, Owens said no, as he felt he didn’t deserve it, even though the WWE Universe disagreed.
Cody and Owens then went backstage to speak with SmackDown General Manger Nick Aldis, who told the duo that he was planning to offer the Bash in Berlin title shot to Roman Reigns. This angered Owens, who said that so many people were more deserving than Reigns, and if Aldis needed proof, he need to just look in the locker room. Aldis, impressed by KO’s fire, agreed and offered him the shot instead. This time, KO said yes.
This will be the first time Kevin Owens has challenged for the Undisputed Universal Championship since it was held by Roman Reigns during his epic run. In 2024, Owens was mainly targeting Logan Paul and the United States Championship but was unsuccessful at the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania XL.
Updated lineup for WWE Bash in Berlin:
-Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Kevin Owens for the WWE Undisputed Universal Championship
-GUNTHER (c) vs. Randy Orton for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship
WWE SummerSlam 2024 is in the books with a lot of interesting storyline developments coming out of the latest Premium Live Event.
Fightful Select has provided some backstage updates on topics such as the top merch sellers coming out of the PPV and more.
According to the reports, the Intercontinental Championship match between Sami Zayn and Bron Breakker was allotted 10 minutes.
The bout in which Breakker defeated the wrestling veteran to win his first title on the main roster ended after only 5 minutes and 42 seconds.
Cody Rhodes was the top merch seller for the company at the WWE Superstore in Cleveland and the merch stand at the Cleveland Browns Stadium.
Roman Reigns reportedly didn’t crack the top three but that’s expected to change with his return. The $600 custom WWE Championship belt for Reigns on the company’s online store did end up selling out within 24 hours.
A very interesting new addition to WWE programming was the ref cam. It was first tested at the performance center and they tried to fine-tune it before Saturday.
Though everything did not go as planned for the company as the battery pack of the camera fell out during the CM Punk vs Drew McIntyre match. Seth Rollins ended up making the decision to remove the camera afterward. The concept is expected to continue.
There were multiple spots at the event which made fans worried about the health of the participating wrestlers. The most notable was Jacob Fatu’s leg injury during the main event which was said to be preplanned.
The spot with Rhea Ripley’s shoulder during her match with Liv Morgan was also planned in advance. The nasty landing of Logan Paul during the superplex spot with LA Knight was the one thing that wasn’t expected, but the YouTube star was said to be okay afterward.
Jacob Fatu’s SummerSlam foot injury has seemingly been confirmed with a new video of the WWE star that has surfaced online.
Social media influencers and YouTube creators The Haroon Twins posted a video with The Bloodline star on their Instagram account this morning.
In the video as seen below, Fatu was spotted wearing a walking boot, seemingly confirming that the WWE star was legitimately hurt at the PLE last night:
Jacob Fatu appears on a HaroonTwins IG Reel this Sunday Morning wearing a walking boot. ? pic.twitter.com/UFyD0KHTs4
Just went back and rewatched this and fuck man… my nigga Jacob Fatu is really hurt.. you can see the anger in his eyes.. this really sucks man.. fuck. #SummerSlampic.twitter.com/GRsOLT5BdM
AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland took on his Twitter to send wishes to the Bloodline star after hearing about his injury:
Heard the news Heal up Jacob????????
— The Realest Swerve Strickland (@swerveconfident) August 4, 2024
Jacob Fatu’s Injury
Last night’s WWE event saw Solo Sikoa challenging Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship in the main event of the show in a Bloodline Rules match.
The members of Sikoa’s Bloodline all tried to help their Tribal Chief win this match. Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa both came out first but Kevin Owens and Randy Orton brawled them out of the arena.
Jacob Fatu was next in line and he appeared as Cody was looking to deliver a series of Cross Rhodes on Solo to win the match.
Fatu attacked the American Nightmare and took him out of the ring. He then delivered a top rope splash on Rhodes through the announce table.
The Wolf of The Bloodline seemed to have suffered an injury in this spot, however, as he clutched his foot immediately afterwards and looked to be in pain. He was taken out of the match after the spot and didn’t participate in the bout any further.
The post-show video also saw Fatu trying to avoid putting any strain on the injured foot while being helped to the back and Triple H confirmed that he was ‘banged up’ at the post show press conference.
The new video further supports the belief that Jacob Fatu was legitimately hurt from the spot. Stay tuned with SEScoops for more updates on his injury.
Cody Rhodes has revealed something WWE did during the SummerSlam PPV for the legends in attendance that warmed his heart.
The big WWE shows usually attract many superstars from past and present who are not part of the regular WWE programming or do not have a backstage role with the company.
One such name was Arn Anderson who made an appearance on tonight’s show to support Cody Rhodes. The American Nightmare was asked about Arn’s presence during the post-show media scrum.
The Undisputed WWE Champion mentioned how Arn has been a part of his journey since his AEW days. He explained the significance the wrestling veteran has for him:
“I had made that decision. When I was with AEW, I’d made the decision that, ‘Hey, I can’t have my dad for this stuff. He’s not here physically. I want someone who was with him.’ They didn’t have to be an ally, they could have been an adversary. He came in and he was such a piece of sanity for me during a really chaotic time.”
Cody Rhodes Reveals WWE’s Gesture For Legends
Cody Rhodes said that getting the moment with Arn Anderson was really special for him and he hopes to see more of the former champion. He then revealed an incredible gesture from WWE top brass to make sure the visiting legends all got the respect they deserved from young stars:
“This is an internal thing, it’s inside baseball, if I get in trouble for sharing this, I apologize. But something that WWE did today that I thought was incredible. I’ve never seen this before, was all the wrestlers got a text. All of us, Byron you got it. We all got it about the legends that were going to be here tonight.
Not just ‘Hey the legends will be here tonight. Go say hello. Go say thank you.’ There was a one sheeter with each of their pictures and a biography because we got a lot of young guns. Tiffany Stratton, for example they may not know everybody, probably does.
But just the idea that the legends are going to be treated that way here, as WWE’s entered its greatest era ever. Really hats off to Chris Legentil, Matt Altman, Nick Khan. Triple H, Bruce [Prichard], whoever came up with it. I thought it was a really brilliant thing.”
Cody Rhodes defeated Solo Sikoa with help from Roman Reigns to retain his championship at the latest WWE PPV. You can check out what happened with Sikoa after the show went off air here.
Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes is ready to put his title on the line against Roman Reigns following the latter’s return at SummerSlam 2024. Speaking on the post-show press conference, Rhodes was asked about the man he vanquished at WrestleMania 40.
“Roman Reigns, certainly, he’s entitled to a rematch, because he held the title for so long. That match, it has to happen.
“I’ve been in there twice with him, brother hits hard. So the idea of that, it’s there, to do, I don’t know if anyone saw, I was tapping the title like this, because I know there is a third one somewhere down the line.”
Reigns returned during the main event of WWE SummerSlam that saw Rhodes face Solo Sikoa under Bloodline Rules. After appearances by Jacob Fatu, Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, Randy Orton, and Kevin Owens, Reigns appeared to the delight of the Cleveland crowd.
After weeks of Solo Sikoa insulting Reigns, including calling him “weak” on the go-home SmackDown, Roman fired back with a Superman punch and spear to the self-appointed Bloodline leader. Reigns and Rhodes shared a look before Cody hit Cross Rhodes to retain his title.
A rematch between Rhodes & Reigns would be the third chapter in the epic saga between the two men that has dominated WWE for close to two years. At WrestleMania 39, Reigns defeated Rhodes to retain the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, but Cody would finish the story at WrestleMania 40 this past April. Stay tuned to SE Scoops for all the latest from WWE SummerSlam and a possible Cody Rhodes Vs. Roman Reigns rematch.
Roman Reigns has made his return to WWE programming as part of the Bloodline Rules main event that took place at SummerSlam 2024.
The return of the Original Tribal Chief had been expected by the WWE Universe for weeks in the run-up towards SummerSlam. Reigns hadn’t been seen in WWE since his loss to Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 40: Sunday.
Roman Reigns Returns
In the Undisputed WWE Title match between Cody Rhodes and Solo Sikoa, The Bloodline (Jacob Fatu, Tama Tonga, and Tonga Loa) came to the aid of Sikoa. As promised by Arn Anderson, Rhodes had backup of his own in the form of Randy Orton and Kevin Owens.
In the ring, Rhodes leveled Solo Sikoa with a spear and a Superman punch. Donned in an OTC shirt (Original Tribal Chief), Reigns shared a look with Rhodes, but opted not to attack the man who beat him at WrestleMania 40. Rhodes would then hit a Cross Rhodes to get the win and retain his title.
Here are all of the matches taking place at SummerSlam tonight from Cleveland, which you can watch back on demand on WWE Network and Peacock.
WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match: Damian Priest vs. Gunther
WWE Women’s Championship Match: Bayley vs. Nia Jax
Women’s World Championship Match: Liv Morgan vs. Rhea Ripley
United States Championship Match: Logan Paul vs. LA Knight
Intercontinental Championship Match: Sami Zayn vs. Bron Breakker
Singles Match: CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre with Seth Rollins as special guest referee
Bloodline Rules Undisputed WWE Championship Match: Cody Rhodes vs. Solo Sikoa
Whether you’re at home or on the go, here’s how you can stream SummerSlam 2024 on different devices:
Streaming on Mobile Devices
Peacock App (U.S. viewers): Available for both iOS and Android devices. Simply download the app, sign in with your subscription details, and start streaming.
WWE Network App (International viewers): Also available for iOS and Android. Ensure you have a stable internet connection for a smooth viewing experience.
