5 Superstars WWE Must Keep Away from Cody Rhodes’ Second Reign as Undisputed Champion

Cody Rhodes has climbed back on top of the mountain by defeating John Cena in a Street Fight for the Undisputed WWE Championship at SummerSlam 2025. The American Nightmare has seemingly found his first challenger in the form of Drew McIntyre, who launched a brutal beatdown on Rhodes during the closing moments of last week's SmackDown.

Cody Rhodes is embarking on his second reign with the Undisputed WWE Championship. His first reign lasted over a year, 378 days to be specific, which saw him defend the title against various superstars. With a lengthy first reign, WWE must ensure that The American Nightmare's second reign lives up to the hype and doesn't get stale.

For that, the Triple H-led creative team must introduce a fresh set of challengers and prevent certain names from challenging Rhodes. In this listicle, we will look at five superstars that WWE must keep away from The American Nightmare's second reign with the Undisputed WWE Championship.

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#5. Solo Sikoa shouldn't face Cody Rhodes again

Solo Sikoa has come into his own after adding a comedic side to his character recently. However, things were different a year ago when Sikoa posed as 'The Tribal Chief' amid Roman Reigns' absence post-WrestleMania 40. The Street Champion entered into a rivalry with Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, vowing to bring the title back to The Bloodline. However, the crowd did not buy Sikoa as a credible challenger, thus making his feud with Rhodes lackluster.

The 32-year-old currently reigns as the United States Champion and is involved in a rivalry with Sami Zayn. With Sikoa finally finding his footing on the roster, it would not be wise to have him cross paths with Cody again, as a potential loss would hurt his momentum.

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#4. Logan Paul

Logan Paul is undoubtedly an amazing athlete and has put on spectacular matches with several top superstars in the past few years. However, involving him in the Undisputed WWE Championship picture might not be a good idea. The social media megastar locked horns with Cody Rhodes at King and Queen of the Ring 2024 during the latter's first reign, in which he fell short after a solid effort.

Considering Logan Paul's part-time schedule and current positioning on the roster, another match between The Maverick and The American Nightmare may not add any substance to Rhodes' title reign and might feel repetitive to fans.

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#3. Jey Uso

Jey Uso is another name that should not participate in Cody Rhodes' second reign as the Undisputed WWE Champion. The YEET Master is currently at odds with Seth Rollins and his faction on Monday Night RAW. While Cody and Jey share a lot of history, both as tag team partners and opponents, a potential rivalry for the Undisputed WWE Title may not be fruitful for either of them.

After a lackluster run with the World Heavyweight Championship, the YEET Master lacks the momentum necessary to be a credible challenger to Rhodes. A potential feud with The American Nightmare comes with a risk of another major loss for Jey Uso, something he may not be able to afford, given his recent shortcomings.

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#2. John Cena

John Cena put an end to Cody Rhodes' first title reign at WrestleMania 41. The American Nightmare won back the Undisputed WWE Championship from The Never Seen 17 at SummerSlam 2025. While the current score between the two stands at 1-1, a third match might be unnecessary, given how decisive their last bout was.

Moreover, John Cena is on the last leg of his Farewell Tour, with a handful of dates left before he hangs up his boots. Hence, another match with Cody Rhodes, who has already taken up a significant portion of Cena's retirement tour, might not be a wise decision.

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#1. Roman Reigns

Roman Reigns' inclusion in the list might come as a surprise, but it has its own reasons. The American Nightmare and the OTC are two of the biggest superstars of this generation. In fact, it was Rhodes who ended Roman Reigns' historic 1,316-day title reign at WrestleMania 40.

While it is inevitable for Rhodes and Reigns to cross paths again in the future, it should not happen anytime soon. The Head of the Table is currently involved in a heated rivalry with his former Shield stablemate, Seth Rollins. The long-term, multilayered feud between Reigns and Rollins needs a proper payoff before The Tribal Chief moves on to other things.

Moreover, if WWE wants Roman Reigns to be champion, it would be better if he won the title that is currently around The Visionary's waist, the World Heavyweight Championship.