Roman Reigns Saves Cody Rhodes From Bloodline Destruction During 9/13 WWE SmackDown

The September 13 WWE SmackDown went down at the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, WA. This event also marks the season premiere for the blue brand as they make their highly anticipated return to the USA Network. Shifts are expected, and change is always exciting. Fans expected an exciting night of action as WWE brings the energy back to this historic venue, with even early footage of the night’s setup going viral, and they got off to a bang.

The September 13 WWE SmackDown opened up with Cody Rhodes putting his Undisputed World Title on the line against Solo Sikoa. To ensure that the Bloodline stayed out of the situation, they made this match a cage match. The Bloodline have already been on the USA Network this week as they invaded the September 12 NXT without Solo Sikoa.

Triple H kicked off SmackDown by hyping up the Seattle crowd. This was a big way to start the show, and then he immediately asked if fans were ready for the Undisputed World Title cage match. This question was met with a resounding applause to confirm that fans were ready to get this going.

Cody Rhodes entered the match as the clear fan favorite, with the crowd firmly behind him and loudly booing Solo Sikoa. The atmosphere was electric as Alicia Taylor’s introductions set the stage for a high-stakes encounter, giving the contest an undeniable “big match” feel.

The action kicked off at a rapid pace, with Cody quickly taking control, bouncing Solo off the cage walls. However, Solo retaliated, returning the favor and sending Cody crashing into the steel. A vicious hip attack against the cage added to the damage. The intensity was palpable, with the Seattle crowd so vocal that their chants had to be censored by USA Network’s standards and practices.

Cody dodged a headbutt from Solo and attempted to climb the cage, but Solo cut him off. At this point, Cody was bleeding from the forehead, something commentary highlighted, and the sight of blood seemed to push Solo to intensify his offense. A brutal powerbomb into the cage followed by Solo’s attempt to stop Cody’s escape led to a thrilling Cody Cutter off the top of the cage, bringing the crowd to their feet during the commercial-free first 30 minutes.

The battle raged on, with both competitors finding themselves at the top of the cage simultaneously. Cody, perched on the edge, managed to fend off Solo with a headbutt and punch before Solo dragged him back down, delivering a devastating brainbuster from the top of the cage. The crowd erupted again, forcing another bleep from USA Network as their chants grew more profane.

As the cage door opened, Cody slapped Solo, only to be met with two spinning Solos for a near fall. Cody blocked a Samoan Spike and followed up with a Disaster Kick and another Cody Cutter, but Solo narrowly escaped defeat. The back-and-forth continued, with Solo hitting a hip attack and a Samoan drop before climbing the ropes for a high-flying splash that earned him another close near fall.

Cody nearly crawled out of the cage, but Solo pulled him back, only for Cody to counter with a Crossroads for a two-count. Not done yet, Cody climbed to the top of the cage and delivered a breathtaking crossbody from the top, which brought the arena to a fever pitch—forcing yet another censor due to the crowd’s explicit chant.

In a climactic finish, Cody hit another Crossroads, finally securing the pinfall to retain the Undisputed WWE Championship. This high-octane bout served as a thrilling start to SmackDown’s debut on the USA Network.

After the match, The Bloodline surrounded the ring, and they started climbing the cage to get in. Then Solo nailed a Samoan Spike on Cody. The Bloodline surrounded Cody and started beating him down. This was an assault on an already damaged champion, one that included Jacob Fatu landing a sick flipping splash off the top rope. Then Solo ordered Jacob to go to the top of the cage, and he did. Suddenly, Roman Reigns’ music hit and he came out. That stopped Jacob in his tracks.

The Original Tribal Chief got in the ring, and he closed the door behind him. He started beating down the Bloodline, but then Reigns took some shots. Just as Solo was about to strike, Roman nailed a Superman Punch on him, but Jacob Fatu was able to get Solo out of the ring before he could nail a spear on him. Roman told Jacob to get in the ring next, and he did.

Jacob Fatu closed the door behind him, and he got himself all hyped up before Solo dragged him out of the cage. Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa jumped Roman Reigns in the cage after that, but then Cody Rhodes got back on his feet and he helped take care of them. The segment ended with Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns on the same side.

What’s your take on WWE’s booking for SmackDown this week? Will Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes make a good tag team? Do you think that the USA Network will be a good home for them? Let us know what you think in the comments section!