Cody Rhodes & Kevin Owens Booked for Royal Rumble Championship Ladder Match During 12/27 WWE SmackDown

WWE brought their December 27 episode of SmackDown to the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. That was a big show as the blue brand closes out 2024, and the final segment of the night followed up on a big storyline.

At Saturday Night’s Main Event, Kevin Owens fought Cody Rhodes with the WWE Undisputed World Title on the line. That match saw the American Nightmare retain his title in controversial fashion, but the ending wasn’t so great for Cody.

Kevin Owens folded Cody Rhodes up at the end of the match and laid in a devastating piledriver, the same move that has been made more than clear that is illegal. Then he stole the winged eagle championship. During this week’s SmackDown, Nick Aldis addressed that situation during the closing segment of the show.

SmackDown started off with Nick Aldis saying that Kevin Owens must return that stolen title by the end of the show, or he would face big time repercussions. Later on in the show, Kevin Owens cut an interview from his car where he said he deserves to have the winged eagle title belt. He also didn’t care about Aldis’ ultimatum, as he said he will only meet with the SmackDown GM under his terms, alone in the ring with just the two of them.

When the time came, Nick Aldis told Owens to do the right thing and hand over the winged eagle title. Owens saw it as the worst thing he could do, because it’s the only bargaining chip he has to get another shot at Cody Rhodes’ Undisputed WWE Championship. He felt cheated after Cody beat him in controversial fashion at Saturday Night’s Main Event, because he said he had the American Nightmare beat.

Nick Aldis wasn’t about making deals, as he meant that Kevin Owens would suffer consequences if he doesn’t give the title back. That would mean Owens never steps in a WWE ring again. At that point, Cody Rhodes came out with his actual Undisputed Championship. Aldis told Cody to leave and let him handle things, but Rhodes wasn’t going to do that.

Cody Rhodes said he doesn’t want Kevin Owens to hand over the title, as he doesn’t want to make a martyr about of someone who wants to be a martyr. The American Nightmare made it clear that he doesn’t wrestle for himself anymore, he does it for his family, his fans, and so many others who have put faith in him.

Kevin Owens started to talk, and Cody told him to shut up. Then Rhodes said he wants a match where the referee isn’t going to stop what he’s going to do to KO. At that time, Cody and Nick spoke off-microphone for a moment, and then Cody proposed a ladder match against Kevin Owens for both of those title belts. At that time, Nick Aldis booked a ladder match for the Royal Rumble on February 1 in Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Stadium. After that, Owens jumped Cody and left him in the ring to close out the show.

There is a lot of history between Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens. After the WWE Bad Blood 2024 premium live event, Kevin Owens attacked Cody Rhodes in the parking lot. Later on, Owens said that whatever happened to Randy Orton was Cody Rhodes’ fault. Owens had previously laid Orton out with a piledriver during the November 8 episode of SmackDown. We will have to see what is next for the Undisputed WWE Championship, but Cody Rhodes will now close out 2024 with the Undisputed WWE Title.

What’s your take on Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens’ rivalry so far? Let us know what you think in the comments section!