Challengers for WWE Champion Cody Rhodes on SmackDown

Cody Rhodes finally got his redemption against John Cena and regained the WWE Championship this past Sunday. The American Nightmare also shared an emotional hug with The Franchise Player at SummerSlam, which appeared to be a torch-passing moment between the two stars.

Now, since The American Nightmare is the champion, superstars on SmackDown will confront him to seek a world title shot. In this article, we will look at four WWE stars who could be the first challenger of The Prodigal Son.

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#4. Drew McIntyre might emerge as Cody Rhodes' challenger

Drew McIntyre and Logan Paul emerged victorious at SummerSlam 2025, where they defeated Jelly Roll and Randy Orton in a tag team bout. Now, as The Scottish Warrior has no big feud on his hands, he may emerge as a challenger for Cody Rhodes.

The Scotsman is also part of the SmackDown brand, and there is a chance that he may confront The American Nightmare on this week's show. This could result in a match between them at Clash in Paris 2025.

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#3. Aleister Black might target Cody Rhodes

Aleister Black is slowly rising through the ranks on SmackDown, and he recently took out Damian Priest on the Friday night show. The angle seemingly sidelined The Archer of Infamy from in-ring action. Priest's potential absence raises the possibility of Black potentially moving towards a world title shot.

A rivalry between Black and Cody Rhodes will help the Stamford-based promotion present the former NXT Champion as a top name. The two stars share a storied history, and the creative team could capitalize on it.

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#2. A feud with John Cena & Brock Lesnar?

Brock Lesnar attacked John Cena at SummerSlam upon his thunderous WWE return. The Beast Incarnate's next appearance has yet to be confirmed, but Cena is advertised to appear on SmackDown after SummerSlam.

Cena and Rhodes may once again engage in a segment that could be interrupted by The Beast. This might eventually lead to Rhodes vs. Cena vs. Lesnar in a Triple Threat Match for the WWE Championship.

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#1. Uncle Howdy might step up against The American Nightmare

Uncle Howdy is the leader of The Wyatt Sicks, and the eerie faction currently holds the WWE Tag Team Championship. However, Howdy has not made much progress as a single star since joining the blue brand.

With Cody Rhodes seeking his first challenger as champion, Howdy may come out and confront him. Rhodes vs. Howdy will not only be a fresh feud to explore but also an unpredictable angle to kick off The Prodigal Son's world title reign.

Edited by Pratik Singh