Surprise assault, advertised comeback? 3 ways Cody Rhodes can return to WWE from his injury

Cody Rhodes may have retained the WWE Championship at Saturday Night's Main Event, but his night ended on a painful note. A frustrated Kevin Owens, feeling cheated by Rhodes' illegal use of the steel chair and having gotten a three-count without a referee present, crossed the line again when he delivered a Package Piledriver to the champion.

KO walked away with The Winged Eagle title while Rhodes was stretchered out of the arena. The American Nightmare has not been seen since the brutal Piledriver, but his return is imminent.

On that note, let's look at three ways Cody Rhodes can return to WWE from his injury to seek revenge on KO.

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#3. Cody Rhodes blindsides Kevin Owens on the final SmackDown of 2024

KO may think he is untouchable, but the Undisputed WWE Champion may have other ideas for The Prizefighter on the final SmackDown of 2024. A deluded Owens could casually cut another tirade backstage or in his car, only to receive an unwelcome surprise.

The American Nightmare could give KO a taste of his own medicine by blindsiding his arch-nemesis. A massive brawl could break out, which could end with backstage officials separating them and Owens retreating.

This would be a nice way of fuelling the rivalry by showing Rhodes' desire to bring the fight to Owens.

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#2. The American Nightmare is advertised to appear on RAW's Netflix debut

It is difficult to imagine a scenario where Cody Rhodes, the reigning Undisputed WWE Champion, doesn't appear on RAW's Netflix debut, a show being branded as a WrestleMania-like spectacle. The American Nightmare also has a devoted fan base, which makes him a good attraction.

Hence, WWE could advertise his comeback in advance by confirming his appearance on January 6. The advertisement would remove the element of surprise but would add more star power to the show.

Naturally, his focus would be on KO, but with The Rock rumored to appear, things could get more complicated and interesting for The American Nightmare.

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#1. Cody Rhodes vs Kevin Owens is announced for RAW's debut on Netflix

WWE has already announced two blockbuster matches for RAW's debut on Netflix. CM Punk will battle Seth "Freakin" Rollins in a grudge match years in the making.

The stakes couldn't be higher as Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa will tear each other apart in Tribal Combat to determine the legitimate Tribal Chief. However, Triple H could add one more high-profile match to the stacked card.

Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens could battle to determine the Undisputed WWE Championship. To enhance the entertainment value,a No Holds Barred stipulation could be added to increase the number of opportunities.