The Riyadh Shockwave and the Cody Problem

Pour me a double of the cheapest whiskey in the well and don't bother with the ice. We need to talk about Cody Rhodes, Sami Zayn, and why the Undisputed WWE Championship is starting to look like a hot potato at a backyard barbecue. Tonight's edition of WWE Raw from Chicago features three championship matches on the line, and the booking decisions are already making my head spin.

Let's rewind to June 27 in Riyadh. Sami Zayn walked into Saudi Arabia as the underdog and walked out with the Undisputed WWE Championship after pinning Cody Rhodes in a Triple Threat match that also featured Gunther. Gunther played the role of the wrecking ball, flattening both men with chops that sounded like gunshots before Sami countered a Cross Rhodes into a sunset flip for the pin.

Gunther was a beast in Riyadh, chopping chests until they turned purple. He had Cody dead to rights with a powerbomb, but Sami broke it up. Sami's win was a masterclass in survival, showing his high wrestling IQ.

It was a great moment. It was the kind of victory that makes you remember why you fell in love with this carny sport. But the celebrate-now-pay-later policy of WWE creative was already waiting in the wings.

Instead of letting Sami have a week to breathe and buy a new suit, WWE booked Cody Rhodes to beat Jey Uso in a Number One Contender match this past Friday on SmackDown. Just six days after losing the richest prize in the game, Cody is right back at the front of the line.

Tonight, the rematch goes down on Raw in Chicago. We are getting Cody versus Sami for the title on free television. Rushing Cody back into the title picture this quickly is lazy booking.

It robs Sami of his spotlight. More importantly, it highlights a massive flaw in Cody's current run.

The Rematch Carousel is Killing the Gold

Cody Rhodes is a superstar, no doubt. But his character has developed a nasty habit of hogging the spotlight. His first title reign lasted 378 days after he finally finished his story at WrestleMania 40.

Then John Cena took it. Then Cody took it back. Then Drew McIntyre got a turn before Cody won it a third time, holding it for 113 days before Sami pinned him in Riyadh.

Drew McIntyre winning the title was a cool moment for the Scottish Warrior. But his reign was cut short when Cody reclaimed the title on March 6. The belt is being passed around like a hot potato, and it needs stability.

The problem is that Cody's chase is the only thing WWE seems to know how to book. As soon as the belt leaves his waist, the entire creative team panics. They treat his championship loss like a temporary filing error that needs immediate correction.

Why did Jey Uso have to lay down for Cody on SmackDown just to set this up? Jey has been red-hot, but he was treated like a speed bump on Cody's highway. By putting Cody in this rematch on Raw, WWE is telegraphing a cheap short-term solution.

Either Sami Zayn is a transitional champion who drops the belt back tonight, or there is going to be some screwy finish that keeps Cody in the hunt anyway. Neither option is good. If Sami drops the belt tonight, his victory in Riyadh becomes a cheap pop that meant absolutely nothing.

If Cody loses clean, it damages his aura as the top babyface who cannot be stopped. WWE is backing themselves into a corner in Chicago. Instead of a classic match, we are likely getting a chaotic main event designed to set up a three-way feud for the summer.

The Rest of the Championship Monday Chaos

If you think the main event is dramatic, the rest of the Raw card is just as packed. The Street Profits are putting their newly won World Tag Team Championship on the line against The Vision. Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins took the gold on the June 22 Raw after Montez hit a sky-high frog splash on Austin Theory.

They had a little help from Joe Hendry and Seth Rollins, which has kept this feud burning hot. Last week, Theory and Bron Breakker confronted the Street Profits during a segment with Hendry, as reported in the match preview. Tonight, we see if the Profits can stand on their own two feet without the visionary backing them up.

The Profits have been a staple of the tag team division for years, but their act was starting to grow stale. Winning the belts on June 22 was a shot in the arm for Ford and Dawkins. Theory and Breakker, on the other hand, are a ticking time bomb of raw athleticism and fragile egos.

Breakker is a certified freak in the ring, and Theory has a chip on his shoulder. Dawkins and Ford need a decisive win to prove their reign isn't a fluke.

Meanwhile, Sol Ruca is defending her Women's Intercontinental Championship against Raquel Rodriguez. Ruca has been a breath of fresh air, but she has not defended the title on television since she beat Lyra Valkyria back on June 8. That is a long gap for a midcard champion.

Raquel Rodriguez is heading into this match with all the momentum. Last week, Rodriguez steamrolled Maxxine Dupri before helping Liv Morgan and Roxanne Perez jump IYO SKY. Raquel also helped JD McDonagh lay out Danhausen with the Devil Inside.

Rodriguez has been on a tear since returning to her dominant heel roots. Her alliance with Liv Morgan makes perfect sense, giving Morgan the muscle she needs to fend off IYO SKY. Ruca will need to rely on her signature athleticism, especially her aerial maneuvers, to keep the powerhouse off balance.

Raquel is playing the heavy for the heel faction, and Sol Ruca might be walking into a trap. Expect plenty of interference from Morgan and Perez.

The Road to SummerSlam Starts Now

While the champions defend their gold, the biggest stars are looking toward August. Seth Rollins is opening the show tonight in Chicago. He is set to challenge Roman Reigns for the World Heavyweight Championship at SummerSlam.

This match is being billed as the Shield's final dance. Rollins has Roman's number, and he knows it. Every time they meet, Rollins plays Roman like a cheap fiddle.

He will surely use his promo tonight to get under the champion's skin. Roman Reigns has spent years building his legacy, but Rollins remains the ghost that haunts him.

Their history goes back over a decade to the days when they wore black tactical vests and entered through the crowd. Rollins is the one who shattered the Shield in 2014, and Roman has never truly forgiven him. This feud represents the final chapter of a brotherhood turned toxic.

Then we have the absolute lunacy of Oba Femi. The 2026 King of the Ring winner was guaranteed a World Title match at SummerSlam. Instead, he threw that golden ticket in the garbage.

Brock Lesnar returned last week and tore him apart, leading to a massive brawl. Now, Oba Femi is set to appear to address Brock and set up a Hell in a Cell match. The series between these two giants is currently tied at 1-1.

Forgoing a championship match to fight Brock Lesnar in a cage is the most chaotic decision a wrestler has made in years. It is stupid, it is dangerous, and I love every single second of it. If Oba Femi survives the Beast in Minneapolis, he will be a made man.

If he loses, he is just the guy who gave up a title shot to get his head kicked in. Chicago is going to be loud tonight. Let's hope WWE doesn't ruin the noise with bad decisions.