SPOILER: Massive WWE match set to open SmackDown – REPORT

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Rhodes defeated Drew McIntyre on the road to WrestleMania 42 in a 3 Stages of Hell match to become champion. He successfully defended the title against Gunther at Clash in Italy last month, but the match ended in controversy. The Ring General had his boot under the ropes during the cover, but the referee did not catch it.

Sami Zayn and Cody Rhodes had a heated confrontation last week on SmackDown. Rhodes claimed that Zayn would never win a major title during the promo, and Sami responded by slapping the champion in the face. Gunther later selected Zayn as the special guest referee for the title match tonight.

Cody Rhodes sends warning to major WWE star

Cody Rhodes sent a message to Roman Reigns following his victory over Gunther at WWE Clash in Italy 2026.

Speaking at the Clash in Italy post-show, Rhodes noted that he had defeated Reigns in the past and suggested that they could renew their rivalry in the future.

“I think it’s a unique position to be in for me to say something negative or for him to say something negative about me and it’s for the simple fact that he doesn’t have two wins over me. I don’t have two wins over him. He beat me once, and I beat his a** once. So I don’t know. Add him to the list cause we said Gunther can have a rematch whenever he wants it, come and get it, easy to find, hard to beat. That goes for Roman Reigns as well,” said Rhodes. (H/T: WrestlePurists)

It will be interesting to see if Rhodes can defeat Gunther tonight on WWE SmackDown to retain his title.