Cody Rhodes becomes No. 1 contender for Undisputed WWE Championship

Cody Rhodes becomes No. 1 contender for Undisputed WWE Championship

Cody Rhodes has secured his position as the No. 1 contender for the Undisputed WWE Championship after defeating Jey Uso during the July 3 edition of SmackDown. The episode was taped on June 29 at the Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, following a live broadcast of Raw.

The victory sets up a championship clash between Rhodes and the current title holder, Sami Zayn. According to acting SmackDown General Manager Adam Pearce, the match between the two is scheduled for the following Monday on Raw.

The road to the contest began with an opening segment featuring Zayn, who received a mixed reaction from the crowd. Zayn addressed the audience, noting that he has been booed for the past 6 months. He described the fans as hypocrites for wanting to see him as champion previously. Zayn maintained that he won the title the right way and identified himself as a good guy.

Rhodes eventually entered the arena to congratulate Zayn, and the two shared a handshake. However, the interaction shifted when Jey Uso arrived to offer his own congratulations to the champion. Uso stated he was proud of Zayn but issued a warning shot, claiming that the title needs to return to the family.

Rhodes interrupted Uso, questioning when Uso had become an errand boy for Roman. Zayn responded by telling both men to stay away, asserting that it is his time and that, regarding Uso, the title is already in the family. The tension led Adam Pearce to intervene. While Zayn questioned if he had a say in his opponent for SummerSlam, Pearce clarified that the immediate priority was finding a challenger, booking Rhodes against Uso for the evening.

The match was preceded by a backstage encounter between Rhodes and Finn Balor. Balor told Rhodes that he had come to SmackDown to face him for the title, urging Rhodes to go win it again. This segment ended when Tama Tonga and Talla Tonga attacked Balor.

Beyond the title picture, the Atlantic City taping featured several other matchups and confrontations:

• Women's Division: Jade, Michin, and B Fab defeated Charlotte, Chelsea Greene, and Tiffany Stratton. The match concluded when Jade pinned Chelsea after a Jaded finish. Earlier, Cathy Kelley interviewed Charlotte regarding Jade, which led to an encounter with Alexa Bliss, Tiffany Stratton, and Chelsea.
• Cruiserweight Action: Rey Fenix successfully retained the AAA Cruiserweight title by defeating El Hijo del Vikingo using the Mexican Muscle Buster.
• Other Results: Laney Reid pinned Brie Bella after Fatal Influence attacked Paige, causing a distraction.

Other segments included an interview with Giulia, who discussed an attack by Blake Monroe. During the interview, Kiana James appeared, only for Blake to attack both women. In another segment, Trick Williams and Carmelo Hayes appeared to set up a non-title match for next week. Additionally, a segment featuring Danhausen in his mad laboratory included the Miz, Kit Wilson, and Matt Cardona. A match between Danhausen and JD McDonagh has been announced for WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event at Madison Square Garden on July 18.

The July 3 broadcast marks a return to the two-hour format for SmackDown, which had previously reverted to three hours in January. This episode also begins the build toward SummerSlam 2026, which is scheduled as a two-night event on August 1 and August 2 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Rhodes now prepares to face Sami Zayn this coming Monday on Raw to challenge for the Undisputed WWE Championship.