Whiplash in Atlantic City

Pull up a barstool, grab a cold pint of cheap domestic light beer, and let's talk about the absolute whiplash WWE just served us. We are barely a week removed from Night of Champions on June 27, 2026, where Sami Zayn shocked the world by pinning Cody Rhodes in a Triple Threat match that also featured Gunther. Now, before the confetti from Sami's celebration even has time to settle, WWE is already pushing the reset button.

On the July 3, 2026 episode of SmackDown, Cody Rhodes went and booked his ticket right back to the title picture. The show, taped at the Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, started with Sami Zayn trying to enjoy his new champion status. But before he could even finish soaking in the crowd's mixed reaction, out came Cody Rhodes, followed quickly by Jey Uso.

Acting General Manager Adam Pearce, stepping in because Nick Aldis is still suspended, immediately set up a main event match. The winner of Cody vs. Jey would earn a shot at Sami Zayn's Undisputed WWE Championship on the upcoming episode of Monday Night Raw in Chicago on July 6, 2026.

To nobody's surprise, Cody Rhodes pulled off the victory over Jey Uso in a hard-fought main event. As noted in the PWInsider SmackDown coverage, this sets up an immediate rematch. Naturally, the wrestling internet exploded into a massive argument over this booking decision.

The community is split into three very distinct camps, and everyone has a loud opinion on whether this was a stroke of genius or a total booking disaster. First up, you have the enthusiasts who are fully on board with the fast-paced storytelling. These fans argue that Cody Rhodes is at his best when he is chasing the gold rather than defending it.

They believe that putting the rematch on Raw in Chicago is a brilliant move because that crowd will be molten hot. For these fans, Sami Zayn's victory at Night of Champions was a beautiful moment, but Cody reclaiming the championship in a hostile environment is the real goal.

On the major wrestling forums, the enthusiasts are pointing to the chemistry between Cody and Jey Uso as proof that the match itself was stellar. They loved the back-and-forth action and the near-falls that kept the Atlantic City crowd on their feet. For this crowd, the story is moving at a fast pace because WWE wants to capitalize on the massive ratings boost that Raw will get.

They argue that a championship rematch of this scale belongs on a major show, even if it is on free television instead of a premium live event. These supporters also argue that Sami Zayn is finally getting the run he deserves, even if it is a short one. They believe Sami defending against Cody on Raw will be a classic match that elevates both men.

In their eyes, the Triple Threat match at Night of Champions left too many loose ends, and this singles match is the perfect way to clear the air. Then we have the skeptics, and honestly, they might have the louder argument here. The main complaint is that this booking makes Sami Zayn's title win feel like a complete fluke.

Why have Sami win the Undisputed WWE Championship on June 27, 2026, if you are just going to run the rematch nine days later on a random Raw? It makes the champion look like a transitional placeholder who is already on borrowed time. The skeptics on Reddit are furious that Jey Uso was sacrificed just to get Cody back to the front of the line.

They feel Jey has been stuck in the midcard orbit for too long, only to be brought out as a high-profile stepping stone when Cody needs a win. One fan pointed out that Jey Uso has lost almost every major singles match he has had in the last year, and this loss only cements him as a gatekeeper rather than a true main-event threat.

There is also a lot of anger about the match being scheduled for Monday Night Raw. Skeptics argue that wasting a match of this magnitude on a weekly television show is a desperate move for TV ratings. They feel WWE is rushing the story instead of letting Sami Zayn build a real championship run with other challengers.

For these fans, Cody Rhodes should have been forced to wait in line, allowing Sami to defend against guys like Gunther or Johnny Gargano first. Finally, we have the contrarians, who could not care less about Cody Rhodes or Sami Zayn. They are yelling about the AAA Cruiserweight Championship match that took place earlier in the night.

Cruiserweights Steal the Show

Rey Fenix defended his title against El Hijo del Vikingo in a match that absolutely stole the show. Fenix secured the win after hitting a massive Mexican Muscle Buster on Vikingo, and the internet contrarians are calling it the match of the year. Many fans on social media are arguing that WWE is burying its best in-ring talent in the midcard while focusing entirely on Bloodline melodrama.

They point out that Vikingo went into this match with a knee injury that was reported earlier in the week, yet he still put on a masterclass. For the contrarians, the main event was just a standard WWE formula match, while the cruiserweights gave the crowd something truly special.

Other contrarians are complaining about the women's division booking on the show. While Jade Cargill, B-Fab, and Michin got a win over Charlotte Flair, Tiffany Stratton, and Chelsea Green when Jade pinned Chelsea, the match felt rushed. Meanwhile, Lainey Reid defeated Brie Bella after a distraction from her stablemates, which fans called a lazy finish.

The contrarians argue that instead of focusing on another Cody Rhodes title shot, WWE should fix its sloppy undercard booking. If you ask me, the skeptics are the ones speaking the truth here. Rushing Cody Rhodes back into a title match on Raw in Chicago makes Sami Zayn’s championship run feel cheap.

Transitional Champ Alert

Sami Zayn is a massive babyface who deserves a real title run, not a nine-day transitional stint. Pushing Cody back in so quickly kills Sami's momentum and makes Night of Champions feel like a cheap stunt. Also, Jey Uso deserves better than being Cody's favorite stepping stone.

Jey is incredibly over with the crowd, and constantly using him as a stepping stone for Cody is going to hurt his standing. The match on Raw is going to be electric because Chicago is a great wrestling city, but the long-term booking here feels incredibly rushed. WWE is clearly looking for a quick ratings spike for Raw, but they are doing it at the expense of their brand-new champion.

We will see what happens on Monday, but right now, the booking feels like a classic case of short-term thinking. Let's hope Sami Zayn gets more than a nine-day reign before Cody takes the belt back.