5 Things that can happen between Cody Rhodes and John Cena on WWE SmackDown this week

For the first time since Night of Champions, Cody Rhodes and John Cena will be in the same building this Friday on SmackDown. Rhodes and Cena are advertised to appear at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas.

The two are set to square off at SummerSlam for the Undisputed WWE Championship. Rhodes earned the rematch after winning the King of the Ring Tournament. Let's look at five things that might happen between The American Nightmare and the Last Real Champion on SmackDown.

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#5. R-Truth could attack John Cena out of nowhere

The last time John Cena had a match on SmackDown, he lost to R-Truth via disqualification. Cena then cut his pipebomb promo on CM Punk, hyping up their match at Night of Champions.

One forgotten aspect of it was Ron Killings, who has remained unhinged since returning at Money in the Bank. He could be on his way to being a thorn in Cena's side again after beating Aleister Black last week. As unpredictable as he is, it won't be surprising if he attacks The GOAT in one way or another on Friday.

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#4. The Wyatt Sicks might send a message to Cody Rhodes and John Cena

Bo Dallas revealed ahead of their WWE Tag Team Title win last Friday that The Wyatt Sicks were not done chasing gold, and it was only the beginning. It's unclear if the group will try to gather more championships to establish their dominance over the blue brand's roster.

One way they could terrify the show is by taking out Cody Rhodes and John Cena. It sends a message to everyone that The Wyatt Sicks are ready to take over. An angle like this also helps pivot Cena into a potential babyface, a move that has been predicted by many during his farewell tour.

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#3. John Cena could take a shot at Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns for going Hollywood

During his feud with The Rock more than a decade ago, John Cena took shots at The People's Champion for leaving WWE and starting a career as an actor. Cena regretted saying those words, especially after heading into Hollywood full-time.

With Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns set to star in the new Street Fighter film, Cena could use this to mock both faces of the company about their priorities. He might get inside the head of The American Nightmare by saying that he's not ready or he's just trying to be the next John Cena in Hollywood.

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#2. Cody Rhodes might tease a heel turn

One of the long-standing rumors since WrestleMania 41 is the possibility of Cody Rhodes turning heel. It hasn't been obvious, and no viable seeds of a heel turn have been planted on WWE television.

If WWE wants to shock the system, a Rhodes turn could make headlines and help the company bring back the luster lost because of WrestleMania 41's underwhelming stories. It might even lead to a rare double turn at SummerSlam, with John Cena becoming a babyface again.

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#1. A brawl could spark more interest in their SummerSlam rematch

With Cody Rhodes and John Cena in the same building, it wouldn't be hard to see them facing each other in the ring and trading barbs to hype their SummerSlam match. And just like most WWE feuds, one way to further spark interest is by having a big-time brawl.

It's a typical formula that usually works, though more personnel and even fellow WWE stars trying to break the fight should elevate the feud to a new level. SummerSlam is the company's second-biggest event of the year, and they can't miss heavily promoting it with the best matches and stories they can offer.