Kevin Owens’ Attack On Cody Rhodes

Kevin Owens’ vicious attack on Cody Rhodes at WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event sent shockwaves throughout the wrestling world, leaving fans aghast and wondering what’s in store next for the two superstars. A quite stunning twist of events that fired up their long-standing rivalry once again, setting up enticing platforms heading into 2025.

The Attack

It was a hyped Undisputed WWE Championship fight with the champion, Cody Rhodes, against Kevin Owens12 at the historic return of Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 14, 2024. In the highly anticipated contest, Rhodes would counter and force Owens to go over and get himself into position to cross Rhodes on top of the steel chair he brought with him into the ring, thus keeping the championship intact2. In the end, Rhodes is hailed by all the ringside fans, but it’s time for bed.

But the real drama happened after the cameras stopped rolling. A defeated Owens, frustrated at his loss, immediately blindsided Rhodes with a vicious sneak attack. Fans in attendance inside Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum captured clear footage of the attack, lifting Rhodes and connecting with a brutal package piledriver. The stunned crowd in attendance watched as Owens then stood over the falling champion, then snatched the newly won winged eagle championship belt and rolled out of the ring.

The Aftermath

Rhodes was left in bad shape following the attack. WWE officials immediately attended to Rhodes and subsequently wheeled him out of the arena. The promotion later issued a statement confirming that Rhodes suffered cervical swelling and was kept overnight at a local hospital for observation.

Further medical examination revealed that the injuries sustained by Rhodes were rather more severe and serious. While X-rays did not reveal any fractures, Rhodes was clinically diagnosed with axial compression of the cervical spine, as well as a cervical strain with spasm59. These injuries are quite serious and may even take the champion out of action for some time.

The Fallout

The consequences of Owens’ attack were both immediate and far-reaching. The fact that Owens was now in possession of the stolen championship belt and that he was met right at the top of the ramp by WWE’s Chief Content Officer, Triple H2, meant that a heated exchange between the two was the next course of action—an eventuality that needed several officials to come in and separate them from each other.

Set to conclusion, this now returns us to the chaotic finale that left onlookers chattering and sent the wrestling world into a frenzy of speculation. More importantly, however, this attack effectively managed to bridge that gap from a live event all the way to coming TV tapings—figuring out how to develop that storyline that was sure to dominate WWE programming over the coming weeks.

Rivalry Renewed

This attack on Rhodes represents a massive escalation in what has been one of the greatest rivalries these two superstars have ever been in. It started in WWE’s old developmental territory, NXT, where Owens turned on Rhodes, then known as Sami Zayn, after Rhodes won the NXT Championship. It was there that this bitter feud got its seeds laid for a span across multiple promotions and almost a decade later.

Their paths have crossed numerous times over the years, both as allies and enemies. They’ve fought for championships, formed tag teams, and even main-evented WrestleMania together. But this latest attack seemed to take their rivalry to a whole new level of intensity.

The Motivations

The only way to see why Owens has conducted such a heinous attack is to delve into the extent of his character. Nicknamed “The Prizefighter,” Owens’ whole life has revolved around not just a craving but a serious need for success and recognition. His entire career has been characterized by betrayal towards friends, and rules along with any obstruction in his way are bent or broken if they stand in his road to success.

In this case, Owens was frustrated with failing to capture the Undisputed WWE Championship on that night, which likely played a heavy role in his actions. The fact that Rhodes could don the prestigious Winged Eagle version of the title for one solitary evening probably fueled Owens’ jealousy and resentment.

The truth of the matter is that their rivalry has more to do with what happens beneath the surface, considering it runs deep within shared history between two men. Both men have had careers that started off in the independents, and both have since made it big in the WWE1320. But while Rhodes left WWE in 2016 to go prove himself elsewhere before returning as some kind of conquering hero, Owens has remained with the company, fighting tooth and nail for every opportunity19. The contrast between their lives and how each is dealing with the situation can be a cause of bitterness towards Owens to strike out at this man who seemingly has it all.

The Impact on WWE Programming

The attack on Rhodes set up a pretty good story in which the WWE will undoubtedly invest for the coming weeks. The injuries to Rhodes may keep him out of commission, and that makes it difficult for the WWE to keep fans interested in their story.

One immediate effect is on the upcoming TV tapings. WWE did a double SmackDown taping last Friday, which created an immediate issue in that Rhodes and Owens couldn’t tape anything in front of the SmackDown crowd out of concern of giving away the outcome of their SNME match. To fill the void, Owens did shoot a backstage promo to appear on the taped episode of SmackDown in the coming week/weekend.

For now, with the SNME event already booked, plans are to have footage of the sneak attack along with Owens’s confrontation with Triple H this Friday at the taped SmackDown8, which can help further the angle due to the taping of multiple shows already being done.

Future of the Championship

With Rhodes injured and Owens in possession of the championship belt, the status of the Undisputed WWE Championship is a question mark. This opens up all sorts of possibilities that can lead to some really interesting storylines:

Interim Champion: WWE could appoint an interim champion for their ongoing absentee in Rhodes to allow him to return and eventually the unification process.

Tournament: They can hold a tournament to determine the new champion, and then Rhodes can return to face the winner.

Owens’ Claim: Owens can try to claim the championship for himself, stating that his post-match attack should count as a title change.

Vacated Title: WWE might declare the title vacant in case the injury to Rhodes is serious enough for a high-stakes match or tournament to crown a new champion.

Each of these scenarios offers different storytelling possibilities and could make for some really interesting matches and rivalries.

The Road to WrestleMania

This attack is even more timely with the Road to WrestleMania just around the corner. With WrestleMania 41 scheduled to go down in April 2025, this incident could set up a huge match between Rhodes and Owens on WWE’s biggest stage.

Rhodes has built a career of memorable WrestleMania moments, from his return to WWE at WrestleMania 38 to his championship win at WrestleMania 4011. A match against Owens at WrestleMania 41, with possibly the championship on the line, would be a great way to continue Rhodes’ WrestleMania legacy.

That would make for a great opportunity for Owens—who also has his own share of WrestleMania moments, including one against “Stone Cold” Steve Austin—to finally position himself as one of WWE’s best villains.

The Fan Reaction

The attack on Rhodes, meanwhile, generated an enormous outpouring amongst the WWE Universe. Rhodes shocked the world this year when he came to WWE after his role as one of AEW’s primary founding members, and since the moment he landed, he proved to be easily one of the juggernauts atop the card; his quest to “complete the story”—winning back the WWE Title that had always eluded his late and legendary father in Dusty Rhodes—means the world to them for a long while now.

Owens, though often featured as a bad guy, also has garnered himself a following for his in-ring work and engaging character portrayal12. This attack, though, seems placed to firmly plant him as a top heel within the company.

The next few weeks will likely see Rhodes’ fans begin to rally around him, as they eagerly await his return and demand that Owens pays for what he has done. In this way, Rhodes may finally get the groundswell of support that sees him reach even loftier levels of popularity upon his comeback.

The Larger Narrative

This attack and the feud that would blossom between Rhodes and Owens fit into a larger narrative that WWE has been trying to create. Both men represent different aspects of the modern WWE superstar:

Rhodes was the epitome of leaving WWE to prove himself elsewhere before returning as a bigger star.

Owens represents the wrestler who stays in WWE, is ever-changing, and is fighting his way to stay atop.

That was not just a clash for the championship but a clash for two ways of reaching the top in wrestling. This layered depth to their rivalry resonated deeper in the fans that follow behind-the-scenes aspects of the wrestling business.

Impact on Their Careers

For both Rhodes and Owens, this feud could be a defining moment in their careers:

Cody Rhodes: This attack and the subsequent storyline could be the next chapter in Rhodes’ epic journey in WWE. How he responds to this setback—in terms of recovering from his injuries and seeking revenge against Owens—will go a long way toward shaping his character going forward. If handled right, this could elevate Rhodes to an even higher level of stardom.

Kevin Owens: A heel turn and vicious attack on one of WWE’s top stars could be what Owens’ career needs, as this cements him as one of the top villains in the company and could very well lead to a main event push. Still, he’ll have to follow it up with strong promos and matches in order to maximize his opportunity.

Conclusion

Kevin Owens’ attack on Cody Rhodes at Saturday Night’s Main Event injected adrenaline into WWE’s storylines for 2025. It rekindled an old rivalry, brought into question the status of the Undisputed WWE Championship, and set up what could be one of the most compelling feuds in recent WWE history.

With the fans now salivating to learn more about Rhodes’s condition and for Owens to explain why he did what he did, one thing can be sure: WWE will never be the same again. The coming weeks and months are going to be full of heated confrontations, emotional promos, and—joy of joys—spectacular matches as this feud unfolds.

Whether it builds to a WrestleMania matchup or unfolds over a number of months, the Rhodes-Owens feud will have a chance to go down as one of the great rivalries in recent WWE memory. It’s to the credit of both men’s talents and charisma that an after-the-fact attack set fans a-speculating about what could happen next.

From this moment going forward, it will be of prime importance that everyone lays their eyes on WWE with the anticipation of seeing how it’s going to execute this storyline while balancing fans’ expectations toward it and eventually pulling out a final satisfying end from this latest chapter in the continuing saga between Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens.