Breaking Down The Belts: Cody Rhodes' Undisputed WWE Championship

Over the last two years, Cody Rhodes has become synonymous with the Undisputed WWE Championship. After a finishing the story at WrestleMania 40 to kick off a year-long reign with the title, Rhodes won it for a second time at SummerSlam, avenging his loss to the retiring John Cena at WrestleMania 41. Rhodes' second reign may still be in its infancy, but there is no better time to speculate about the trajectory of his second story — particularly, its inevitable end.

Old rivals and new challengers alike are gearing up to take their shot at the Undisputed title upon Rhodes' return, and while "The American Nightmare" seems nearly indestructible in the ring, he will eventually drop his title to a new champion. Just who will overcome Rhodes and claim the gold, however, is anyone's guess. Will Rhodes' second Undisputed WWE Championship reign crumble at the hands of an old friend, or will his ultimate defeat catapult a newer face into the gold-plated limelight? Who will take Rhodes' title off of him, and who should take Rhodes' title off of him? Anything can happen in wrestling, but as the days continue to be added to Rhodes' second reign, we have some contenders in mind for the next Undisputed WWE Champion.

Rhodes has had many allies throughout his two WWE runs, with names like Jey Uso and Sami Zayn being recently associated with "The American Nightmare." One of Rhodes' most iconic allies, however, and the man most primed to halt his still-meteoric rise, is none other than 14-time world champion and future Hall of Famer, Randy Orton.

Orton and Rhodes have sagas' worth of history with each other, from Rhodes' 2007 WWE debut, where he lost to Orton in singles competition, through their short-lived coalition with Ted DiBiase known as The Legacy, to various clashes throughout the latter part of Rhodes' original WWE tenure. When Rhodes made his return as a top babyface in 2022, however, Orton became a frequent associate, aiding him on his many campaigns against heel factions like The Judgment Day. Rhodes and Orton also clashed in the 2025 King of the Ring tournament finals, where an especially aggressive Rhodes put down his old friend to earn the King of the Ring's SummerSlam title opportunity.

Between the two competitors' deep history and their recent King of the Ring clash, a Rhodes/Orton feud basically writes itself. Orton's loss in Riyadh directly led to Rhodes' Undisputed title win from Cena, and Orton would be well within his rights to stake a title challenge. Furthermore, Orton — a notorious heel — is a few years into a babyface campaign, and a heel turn seems not a matter of if, but when. From WWE's perspective, an Orton vs. Rhodes feud in which Orton ultimately dethrones Rhodes to capture his 15th world title reign is a logical, high-profile, and guaranteed-to-be-lucrative move.

While Orton might be the most logical choice for Rhodes' eventual dethroner, McIntyre is doubtless a fan favorite to become the next Undisputed WWE Champion. What McIntyre and Rhodes lack in extensive history (at least, compared to Orton and Rhodes), they are more than guaranteed to make up for in absolute depravity.

We have already seen glimpses of Rhodes vs. McIntyre from Rhodes' last televised appearance on "SmackDown," when a Claymore sent Rhodes' head clean into the face of the commentary table. Such a spot is bold and eye-catching on its own — for that to be the first beat in a potential feud is something else. It's a move that sets the bar extremely high from the outset, and considering Rhodes' documented willingness for crazy spots and McIntyre's recent bloody war with CM Punk,Rhodes vs. McIntyre would be a petty, vitriolic feud that could entice even the sickest of wrestling fans.

McIntyre deserves a title opportunity. He is a consistently ruthless and entertaining performer, and yet, despite his popularity and in-ring prowess, his championship dreams have been limited to pandemic-era non-crowds and failed Money in the Bank cash-ins. McIntyre has had a title-worthy career, but little gold to speak for it. If anyone deserves a title run in front of fans, it's the sadistic Scot.

Now, should McIntyre should take the title off of Rhodes next Saturday at Wrestlepalooza? Ideally, no — we'd like to see Rhodes get a few decent defenses, as well as proper time given to a full-realized storyline eventually leading to McIntyre going over. But even if it cut Rhodes' second reign off at the knees, it would be a wrestling fan's dream to see McIntyre standing tall once again, Undisputed WWE Championship in hand.