Opening segment, new match announced for WWE SmackDown
On the road to SummerSlam, Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes will kick off SmackDown tonight.
WWE has officially confirmed that Rhodes will defend his title against Solo Sikoa at SummerSlam on Saturday, August 3. Tonight, Rhodes will address Sikoa in the opening segment of SmackDown.
“We’re kicking things off here in Omaha, Nebraska with the American Nightmare — the Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes,” SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis announced. “I don’t know what he wants to talk about specifically, but I’ll bet that WWE title match with Solo Sikoa at SummerSlam is one of the things on the agenda. As for the rest? Well, we’ll find out together.”
To set up the SummerSlam title bout, Sikoa pinned Rhodes in a six-man tag match in the main event of Money in the Bank. Last week’s SmackDown ended with The Bloodline putting Randy Orton through the announce table after he tried to save Rhodes from a beatdown. Sikoa forced Rhodes to watch on as Orton was laid out.
WWE has also announced that Tiffany Stratton vs. Michin will take place on SmackDown tonight. Stratton, who holds the women’s Money in the Bank briefcase, was in Nia Jax’s corner when Jax defeated Michin last Friday. Jax is challenging Bayley for the WWE Women’s Championship at SummerSlam.
Here’s the updated SmackDown lineup for tonight:
WWE SmackDown (Friday, July 19) —
- Contract signing for United States Champion Logan Paul vs. LA Knight at SummerSlam
- Carmelo Hayes vs. Andrade
- Michin vs. Tiffany Stratton
- Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes kicks off the episode