Former WWE Champion to return & replace Cody Rhodes on Smackdown after Kevin Owens attack? Chances explored

The upcoming episode of WWE SmackDown will serve as the post-show edition of the blue brand following Saturday Night’s Main Event. One of the biggest questions ahead of this week's SmackDown is: What's next for Cody Rhodes following his injury announcement?

As of now, the status of The American Nightmare remains uncertain, with the company disclosing that Rhodes suffered an injury due to Kevin Owens' Package Piledriver at SNME. It's important to note that the piledriver is the same banned move KO previously used to sideline Randy Orton, leading to The Viper’s hiatus.

Given this, Rhodes potentially taking a break due to his injury seems like a realistic possibility. One potential replacement for the Undisputed WWE Champion on the blue brand could be AJ Styles. While The Phenomenal One is currently on hiatus from the Stamford-based promotion, Styles might return soon. If this happens, the former WWE Champion could return as a babyface and step in to fill Cody Rhodes’ spot on Friday nights.

If this scenario unfolds, Styles might even challenge Kevin Owens and engage in a brief feud with him until The American Nightmare makes his comeback. A feud between AJ Styles and Kevin Owens could be an intriguing rivalry to witness on the blue brand, helping in maintaining the momentum of the Kevin Owens saga.

Both stars also have history within the company, having once feuded over the United States Championship. It remains to be seen what will happen in the forthcoming edition of SmackDown and what the status of Cody Rhodes will be following his injury announcement.

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Who else could replace Cody Rhodes on WWE SmackDown if he goes on hiatus?

Besides AJ Styles, a returning Randy Orton could be another star to replace Cody Rhodes on the blue brand if the Undisputed WWE Champion goes on hiatus. As of now, there is no confirmed timeline for The Legend Killer’s comeback, increasing the chances of a surprise return by Randy Orton.

KO and Orton also have unfinished business. So it makes perfect sense for Orton to confront The Prizefighter if Cody’s hiatus becomes official. The Apex Predator could make a sensational return on the forthcoming SmackDown and possibly launch a surprise attack on Kevin Owens.

This angle could even set up a match between the two for the card of WWE RAW debut on Netflix. The debut show of the red brand on the streaming platform already has stacked matches lined up, including Roman Reigns vs. Solo Sikoa and Seth Rollins vs. CM Punk.

Adding Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens would undoubtedly make the highly anticipated edition of WWE RAW even bigger.