Earlier this month Cody Rhodes successfully defended the Undisputed WWE Championship against Kevin Owens at Saturday Night’s Main Event. Unfortunately for Cody his victory celebration was cut short when Kevin Owens attacked him after the match and hit him with a package piledriver. Owens then stole the Winged Eagle belt and he has recently been referring to himself as the true WWE Champion.
This week on Friday Night SmackDown, Nick Aldis addressed the attack on Cody Rhodes as soon as the show kicked off. Aldis said that Owens has no right or claim to the WWE Championship belt. He sent a message to KO when he told him that he has until the end of the night to relinquish the Winged Eagle belt, and Aldis warned KO that he will face severe consequences if he doesn’t comply.
Later in the show Kevin Owens cut a promo in his car and told Aldis that they need to have a little discussion. Owens said that he would enter the arena on his terms as he demanded that Nick Aldis meet him in the ring alone.
Nick Aldis met Kevin Owens in the ring and he told him to do the right thing and hand over the belt. Owens said it’s the only bargaining chip he has that can assure him that he will get a rematch for the Undisputed WWE Championship. KO told Aldis that if he wants the belt back then Cody Rhodes needs to come take it.
Aldis started to get heated as he told Owens that it’s not a negotiation. He told Kevin Owens that if he doesn’t hand the belt over he will never step foot in a WWE ring again.
Cody Rhodes’ music hit and Cody walked out with the Undisputed WWE Championship belt over his shoulder. Nick Aldis asked Cody to walk away and let him handle this, but Cody said he’s not walking away.
The American Nightmare said that KO tried to take away his livelihood, and it’s his responsibility to take back the Winged Eagle belt. Cody told KO that he wants a match where the referee can’t stop what he’s going to do to him. He spoke with Nick Aldis for a moment then stepped into the ring.
Rhodes suggested that they hang both titles above the ring in a ladder match. Nick Aldis then announced that Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens will face off in a ladder match at the Royal Rumble. KO agreed to the match then tried to shake Cody’s hand, but Cody declined. Owens then attacked Cody and told Cody that he’ll see him at the Royal Rumble as the show went off the air.
