Cody Rhodes defeated Jey Uso on Friday to become the number-one contender for the Undisputed WWE Championship [1].
The victory establishes a high-stakes collision between two of the company's most prominent stars. This match determines who will challenge the current champion, Sami Zayn, for the top prize in the industry.
The match took place during the July 3, 2026, episode of WWE SmackDown [1]. Rhodes secured the win over Uso, officially earning the right to challenge Zayn for the title. The bout served as the primary mechanism to resolve the tension between the contenders and identify a definitive challenger for the champion [2].
Sami Zayn has recently spent time celebrating his tenure as the Undisputed WWE Champion. His current reign follows a long professional journey, as he won his first world championship 13 years after initially signing with WWE [2].
The championship match is now scheduled to take place on the July 6, 2026, episode of WWE Raw [3]. This rapid turnaround from the Friday night victory to the Monday night title defense keeps the momentum high for the Undisputed Championship storyline.
Rhodes enters the match as a former champion looking to reclaim his spot at the top of the mountain. Zayn, meanwhile, seeks to defend his title against a challenger who has already proven his capability by defeating Jey Uso [1].
“Cody Rhodes defeated Jey Uso to become the number-one contender”
This match sets up a critical transition period for the Undisputed WWE Championship. By placing the title match on a flagship show like Raw immediately following a SmackDown qualifier, WWE is accelerating the narrative pace to maximize viewer engagement across both brands.
