WWE Saturday Night's Main Event returned to the airwaves over the weekend, and though Cody Rhodes technically won his Undisputed WWE Championship match against Kevin Owens, it's safe to say things didn't turn out optimally for the champion. Just after the show went off the air, Owens returned to the ring and brutally assaulted Rhodes, forcing the WWE star to be wheeled out of the arena on a stretcher.
Over a day later, the company has issued a press release briefly summarizing the angle, which has not yet aired on TV. WWE also provided some details on the extent of the damage inflicted on Rhodes, though the champion is not believed to have suffered any lasting injuries. According to the release, Rhodes is dealing with "axial compression of the cervical spine, as well as a cervical strain with spasm."
With the end of the year quickly approaching, WWE will have several more taped shows in the coming weeks, with the footage of Owens' attack on Rhodes likely set to air on Friday's pre-taped "WWE SmackDown." Based on the challenger's actions on Saturday, it seems unlikely that the feud between Rhodes and Owens is finished, though it's not yet clear when Rhodes will return to TV.
Another factor to take into consideration is "WWE Raw" moving to Netflix on January 6, 2025. It's been confirmed that the "Raw" and "SmackDown" rosters will see some changes, and as two major stars in the company, either Rhodes or Owens could be moved to the opposite brand, keeping them apart for the time being.
Saturday's match was Rhodes' seventh defense of the Undisputed WWE Championship, and his second successful defense against Owens. Rhodes won the title by defeating Roman Reigns at WWE WrestleMania 40 in April.