Recently-dethroned champions interrupt Cody Rhodes; unexpected name helps him on SmackDown

Cody Rhodes came out on SmackDown this week to pay tribute to Randy Orton, who was taken out by the New Bloodline last week and sent through a table. He was interrupted by two recently dethroned champions on SmackDown and received some unexpected help.

This week, he was interrupted by recently dethroned WWE Tag Team Champions A-Town Down Under. To open the episode, Cody Rhodes paid tribute to a close friend and his former mentor, Randy Orton. He said he wouldn't have been WWE Champion without his help. Of course, this was addressing the bigger issue of The Bloodline and the SummerSlam match featuring Cody and Solo Sikoa.

They questioned Cody for being responsible for last week's incident in which Grayson Waller hit Austin Theory with a knee to the head. They didn't want to take accountability either. They launched a two-on-one assault, and top boxer Terence Crawford, an Omaha native, helped Cody by giving him his chair.

Surely enough, the chair helped him take out Austin Theory and Grayson Waller. This was merely a distraction.

Backstage, SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis told Cody that he must find a partner to face A-Town Under later tonight. It was a turbulent start to SmackDown for the Undisputed WWE Champion.