Cody Rhodes suffered a rare defeat, becoming the first person to actually lose the Crown Jewel Championship as Seth Rollins stole victory with a Rolex in Perth, Australia, over the weekend. And while that does mean he is, at least on paper, a title lighter, he does remain the only now slightly disputed WWE Champion, and will be needing challengers for that mantle. Luckily, him holding the most prestigious prize in the company, he shouldn’t really short of options. Right? RIGHT?

Anyway, option one, and this writer’s favorite kind: Randy Orton, having been teased for what seems like a century to turn on his long-time friend and Legacy partner, especially in the lead-in to Crown Jewel, finally actually does so and they run things back for the title – one that Orton has tasted 14 of, and has made very clear that he wants a few more if possible. 

Well, it is possible. And Rollins was actually very careful to point that out in the battle of mind games ahead of the Champion vs. Champion clash, wondering what happens when Orton sees that Rhodes is fallible and decides to do what “The Viper” does best. One might argue that Orton has fought alongside and for Rhodes long enough, without getting much in return if at all, and a temperamental Rhodes following a defeat might be the catalyst for an explosive reaction. 

However, short of that catalyst if Rhodes remains humble in defeat, there would likely have to be a heel in the picture to get the ball rolling in the short term. Drew McIntyre failed at his attempt at Wrestlepalooza, and is currently embroiled in a feud with Jacob Fatu, but has never been exactly known to let go of a grudge, and the aforementioned feud with Fatu is definitely befitting a three-way for the WWE Championship. 

Aleister Black picked up a statement victory over former WWE World Champion Damian Priest on Friday, though he did do so with Zelina Vega’s help and there is a question of whether he would be a better challenger for Sami Zayn. Truthfully, time will tell the answer, but the likely option in this writer’s opinion is a continuation of McIntyre’s pursuit of the WWE Championship, and all that comes with it.

Written by Max Everett