4 WWE Superstars who could confront Cody Rhodes at Wrestlepalooza 2025

WWE is now ten days away from hosting Wrestlepalooza. The premium live event is scheduled to take place at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on September 20, and it happens to be the company's streaming debut on ESPN.

The premium live event will feature some of the top superstars from both brands, as the creative team has been relentless in building up a top card for the event. However, Cody Rhodes appears to be missing from the card, as he has been written off WWE TV since being assaulted by Drew McIntyre on the post-SummerSlam episode of SmackDown. This was done due to Cody's schedule to shoot his role for the live-action Street Fighter movie.

While many wondered when Cody would return to action, Triple H has recently dropped a spoiler for The American Nightmare's return. Speaking on The Pat McAfee Show, The Game revealed that the Undisputed WWE Champion will be at the upcoming PLE in Indianapolis.

There are many stars whose eyes are set on Rhodes' title, and it is quite possible that they might confront The American Nightmare when he returns at Wrestlepalooza.

Here are the four WWE Superstars who could confront Cody Rhodes at Wrestlepalooza 2025.

#4. Drew McIntyre

Drew McIntyre sparked a rivalry with Cody Rhodes after the latter came to John Cena's aid during an attack by McIntyre and Logan Paul on SmackDown after SummerSlam 2025.

In the main event, the babyfaces later teamed up to face The Scottish Warrior and Paul in a tag team match, where they won via disqualification. Things didn't end there, as the bitter rivals continued to brawl after the bout. It was during this moment that McIntyre laid out Cody with a massive Claymore through the bottom half of the announcer's desk.

Given that Drew McIntyre is currently on a mission to dethrone Cody Rhodes and win the Undisputed WWE Championship, The Scottish Warrior might confront The American Nightmare upon his return at Wrestlepalooza to continue their feud. If this happens, it could lead to the veterans finally facing off for the title.

#3. Randy Orton

Randy Orton lost to his former mentee, Cody Rhodes, in the final of the 2025 King of the Ring Tournament at Night of Champions, losing his shot at the Undisputed WWE Championship against John Cena at SummerSlam.

With The Viper still aiming to become a 15-time World Champion, he might confront The American Nightmare upon his comeback at Wrestlepalooza. Interestingly, this could set up a potential rematch for the veterans with Cody's title on the line, after Orton settles his current feud with Drew McIntyre on SmackDown.

#2. Logan Paul

As part of John Cena's retirement tour, Logan Paul sparked a feud with The Franchise Player on the post-SummerSlam episode of SmackDown, before finally losing to Cena at Clash in Paris and seemingly ending their rivalry.

Given that Logan Paul is yet to secure a World Title in WWE, in a massive twist, he might confront Cody Rhodes upon his return at Wrestlepalooza just as he did to Cena on the blue brand. Paul has a storied history with The American Nightmare, and the duo squaring off for the Undisputed WWE Championship could create a dream match.

#1. Former WWE Champion, Brock Lesnar

Brock Lesnar finally made his return on last week's episode of SmackDown after his last appearance at SummerSlam 2025. The Beast Incarnate made a shocking appearance on the blue brand and attacked John Cena alongside Sami Zayn.

Cena accepted Sami's Open Challenge for the United States Championship, which ended in a no-contest, thanks to Lesnar's attack. Given this angle, Triple H might decide to give fans their dream match and book the veterans to square off at Wrestlepalooza. If this happens, The Beast Incarnate could pull off a massive win over The Franchise Player.

However, in a shocking twist, Brock Lesnar might confront Cody Rhodes and challenge him for the Undisputed WWE Championship after potentially beating John Cena in Indianapolis. Cody defeated Lesnar two years ago at SummerSlam 2023 before the latter went on hiatus following Vince McMahon's controversy.

Given that the veteran has seemingly not forgotten about it, he might seek to exact his revenge on the reigning champion by dethroning him.

About the author

Bethel is a WWE writer at Sportskeeda Wrestling with a Bachelor's degree from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He has also attended a virtual school where he was certified in Effective Communication in English. His grasp of the language and his utmost dedication to researching and verifying information help him ensure he is unbiased, practical, and nonjudgmental as he writes about the world of pro wrestling.

When he looks back at how he got hooked onto WWE, Bethel particularly recalls WrestleMania 30 in 2014. Here, he saw and became an avid supporter of Roman Reigns for his courage and boldness. However, his all-time favorite is WWE Hall of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin because of his rebellious ways and how he would thumb his nose at authority.

All of this has led Bethel to work for multiple institutions. He quickly learns the content guidelines and completes his and the company's targets effortlessly. One of the highlights of his career was covering WrestleMania 41 in 2025.

When Bethel is not writing for Sportskeeda, he loves to indulge in reading and singing.

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Edited by Jeevak Ambalgi