Cody Rhodes to immediately lose the Undisputed WWE Championship to a legend on SmackDown? Chances explored

Cody Rhodes retained his Undisputed WWE Championship by defeating Drew McIntyre at Saturday Night's Main Event XLI. The stipulation for the match was that if Rhodes lost via disqualification or countout, he would lose the title, leading many fans to believe that The American Nightmare would be dethroned.

However, despite the odds, Rhodes walked away victorious, as McIntyre suffered another high-profile loss. That said, while The QB1 may have survived The Scottish Warrior last weekend, his reign as the Undisputed WWE Champion could come to an abrupt end on this week's SmackDown, courtesy of Randy Orton.

The Viper has been off television since the October 3 episode of the blue brand. With Drew McIntyre seemingly in the rear-view mirror, Cody Rhodes will likely prepare to face a new challenger. The American Nightmare is set to address the WWE Universe following his win last weekend.

Rhodes could be interrupted by Randy Orton, who could challenge him to an impromptu title match. Given how much respect The American Nightmare has for his former mentor, he could accept the challenge. In a surprising twist, Orton could dethrone The QB1 as Undisputed WWE Champion.

The Triple H-led creative team has teased a feud between the longtime friends several times, but has yet to pull the trigger. Orton has been eyeing Rhodes' title for so long that it has become a meme for the online wrestling community.

Rhodes' victory over McIntyre last weekend was criticized by the WWE Universe. Before the fan sentiment around The American Nightmare's reign becomes overly negative, the creative team could pull off a shocking title change on SmackDown.

That said, this scenario is only speculative, and nothing has been confirmed.

Cody Rhodes previously faced Randy Orton at Night of Champions

Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton locked horns in the final of the King of the Ring Tournament. During the bout, Orton had Rhodes in position for a punt kick. However, The Viper's momentary hesitation allowed The American Nightmare to move out of the way.

The end of the match saw Rhodes sending Orton back-first into an exposed turnbuckle before hitting a Cross Rhodes to put away the veteran and win the coveted crown. The Apex Predator looked visibly upset following the bout, leading many to believe that he could turn heel soon.

While that hasn't happened yet, the Triple H-led creative team must pull the trigger on it before it's too late. It will be intriguing to see what's next for Randy Orton in WWE.

Edited by Parth Pujara