"See you at the Rumble, b****"; Top star suffers insult after WWE SmackDown
Kevin Owens attacks Cody Rhodes and WWE official on SmackDown, setting up ladder match for Winged Eagle Championship at Royal Rumble 2025.
Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens will face off in a ladder match for the Winged Eagle Championship at Royal Rumble 2025. The match was confirmed during SmackDown after a confrontation between the two stars led to physical altercation.
The segment began with Rhodes addressing Owens’ actions at Saturday Night’s Main Event. As tensions escalated, SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis announced the championship match for the upcoming premium live event. The situation took an unexpected turn when Owens shoved Aldis into Rhodes before launching an attack on the champion.
After the assault, Owens walked away with the Winged Eagle Belt, establishing his claim as the rightful champion. The Prizefighter delivered a stark message to his former ally.
Owens displayed intense focus as he clutched the championship:
I’m the true champ! I’m the true champ! I’m the true…[hits his forehead with the Winged Eagle Belt]…I’m the true champion! See you at the Rumble b****!
WWE’s strategic timing for Royal Rumble championship match
While Rhodes sustained injuries at Saturday Night’s Main Event, no reports indicate any serious health concerns that would prevent an earlier match date.
The scheduling allows WWE to feature Roman Reigns versus Solo Sikoa on RAW’s Netflix debut on January 6, while potentially freeing Reigns to participate in the 30-person Royal Rumble match. This arrangement distributes high-profile matches across both events, maximizing their impact.