Cody Rhodes Wins Number One Contender’s Match on SmackDown, Will Challenge Sami Zayn for WWE Championship on Raw

Cody Rhodes is heading back to the top of the mountain. On SmackDown on Saturday, July 4, Rhodes defeated Jey Uso in the night’s main event to become the number one contender for the WWE Championship, setting up a title match against Sami Zayn on Monday Night Raw on July 6 in Rosemont, Illinois.

The night’s events were set in motion when Zayn opened SmackDown by reflecting on his emotional WWE Championship victory at Night of Champions. Rhodes wasted little time interrupting, making his desire for another title shot abundantly clear. Uso also stepped into the picture, congratulating the new champion while simultaneously staking his own claim to a future opportunity.

With two worthy challengers and plenty of tension in the air, interim SmackDown General Manager Adam Pearce stepped in and booked Rhodes and Uso in a Number One Contender’s Match for later that evening. When the time came, Rhodes delivered in the main event, finishing Uso with the Cross Rhodes to secure his spot opposite Zayn.

Not everything went smoothly behind the scenes. Earlier in the night, Zayn approached Pearce backstage with a pointed question — as a SmackDown superstar, why was he being asked to put the title on the line on Raw? Pearce’s answer was straightforward: Monday’s episode will function as a cross-branded supershow, drawing talent from both Raw and SmackDown.

Alongside the WWE Championship match, the World Tag Team Championships will also be on the line, with the Street Profits defending against Bron Breakker and Austin Theory. Monday’s card shapes up as one of the more significant non-pay-per-view nights WWE has put together in recent memory, with gold on the line across two high-profile matchups.