In a surprising twist that’s spicing up the wrestling world more than a jalapeño in a hot sauce factory, the upcoming WWE premium live event, King & Queen of the Ring, is reportedly setting the stage for something monumental. Despite the regal title of the event, which resurrects the King of the Ring tournament for the first time on pay-per-view since the early aughts, it seems the royals will have to bow down to the champion. That’s right, folks—Cody Rhodes is expected to defend the Undisputed WWE Championship in what is shaping up to be the crown jewel of the evening.
Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter dropped the scoop that despite the glittering lineup of tournament action, Cody Rhodes’ title defense is poised to steal the spotlight in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on May 25. Fresh off his victory over AJ Styles at Backlash in France, Rhodes is penciled in for a grand entrance on the May 10 edition of “WWE Smackdown,” where his mystery challenger will likely make a grand (and probably not so gracious) entrance.
The rumor mill, fueled by Meltzer’s insights, is churning at full steam. The potential challengers? A veritable who’s who of the “SmackDown” roster. LA Knight, fresh from his own Backlash brawl, might just get a quick ticket to challenge Rhodes—a matchup that promises fireworks but could be assembled quicker than a pre-packed IKEA furniture set. Then there’s Randy Orton, whose storied history with Rhodes could fill a saga worthy of a longer narrative build, deserving of its own miniseries.
Also in the mix are Solo Sikoa and Kevin Owens, with Sikoa looking like the favorite out of the two, given the outcomes at Backlash. Meanwhile, AJ Styles, despite his recent loss to Rhodes, earned a five-star nod from Meltzer himself and could be itching for a rematch, though his dance card is already punched with a spot in the King of the Ring tournament.
So, who will step up to challenge the champ? Will it be a quick build with LA Knight, a deep dive into history with Randy Orton, a strategic play with Solo Sikoa, or a redemption arc with Kevin Owens? Or will AJ Styles step up to reclaim his glory? Stay tuned, because this royal battle is shaping up to be one for the history books, where the only sure thing is that the WWE Universe is in for a treat that’s fit for a king—or in this case, an undisputed champion.