The latest WWE storyline involving Randy Orton, Kevin Owens and Cody Rhodes has added another layer to an increasingly personal rivalry. On the August 28, 2026 episode of Friday Night SmackDown, WWE released a segment showing Randy Orton and Kevin Owens bond over hating Cody Rhodes, highlighting how both Superstars have developed serious issues with the Undisputed WWE Champion.
The development is especially notable because Orton and Owens have not simply become allies against Cody. Both men have their own history with Rhodes, and the latest interaction gives WWE another way to build tension around Cody’s upcoming confrontation with Orton.
For fans searching for wwe saturday night main event, there is also an important current update: WWE has begun using the name Sunday Night’s Main Event for its upcoming September event. The next show is scheduled for September 6, 2026, in Atlanta, where Cody Rhodes is set to face Randy Orton.
Key Points Summary
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║ – Randy Orton and Kevin Owens were featured together in a WWE ║
║ SmackDown highlight centered on their shared dislike of Cody ║
║ Rhodes. ║
║ – Orton and Cody’s rivalry has escalated throughout August 2026. ║
║ – Orton previously attacked Rhodes on the Aug. 14 episode of ║
║ SmackDown, triggering a chaotic brawl. ║
║ – Kevin Owens has his own long-running history of conflict with ║
║ Cody Rhodes, including their 2024 Saturday Night’s Main Event ║
║ title match. ║
║ – WWE’s next major Main Event-branded show is Sunday Night’s ║
║ Main Event on Sept. 6, where Rhodes will face Orton. ║
║ – The latest Orton-Owens interaction adds another dimension to ║
║ Cody Rhodes’ growing list of rivals. ║
╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
What Happened Between Randy Orton and Kevin Owens?
The latest development came on the Aug. 28 episode of Friday Night SmackDown. WWE published a dedicated highlight titled “Randy Orton and Kevin Owens bond over hating Cody Rhodes,” confirming that the two Superstars were brought together around their mutual animosity toward Rhodes.
The segment took place as both Orton and Owens were dealing with separate problems involving Cody and other major WWE stars.
Orton’s feud with Rhodes has been building for several weeks. Meanwhile, Owens has been involved in a separate championship storyline with CM Punk, while his past conflict with Cody remains part of his WWE history.
That makes the interaction interesting without requiring WWE to establish Orton and Owens as a permanent tag team or formal alliance. Their common target is enough to create tension.
WWE’s official SmackDown coverage also showed that Orton and Rhodes remained locked in a highly personal confrontation on the same episode. Orton attempted to provoke Rhodes into attacking him, but the situation was controlled because the two were not supposed to physically engage before their upcoming match.
The result is a storyline in which Cody is surrounded by several major personalities who have different reasons for opposing him.
Why Cody Rhodes Is at the Center of the Story
Cody Rhodes has been one of WWE’s central figures, and the current storyline places him in direct conflict with Randy Orton.
The August 28 episode made that especially clear. WWE’s official results described the Orton-Rhodes confrontation as highly personal, while a separate video focused specifically on Orton’s attempt to get inside Cody’s head.
Owens adds another layer because his relationship with Rhodes has already produced one of the most memorable Saturday Night’s Main Event matches of the modern revival.
The three men therefore have a complicated history:
- Cody Rhodes has previously fought Kevin Owens in a major championship match.
- Owens has also attacked Randy Orton during his feud with Rhodes.
- Orton is now directly targeting Cody.
- Owens and Orton have found common ground through their dislike of Rhodes.
That history makes the current interaction feel connected to earlier WWE storylines rather than appearing as an isolated backstage segment.
Randy Orton’s Growing Rivalry With Cody Rhodes
The current Orton-Rhodes feud became much more physical on Aug. 14.
During that episode of SmackDown, WWE reported that Orton launched a surprise attack on Rhodes before Cody’s scheduled match against Sami Zayn. The confrontation quickly became an intense brawl.
The incident was significant because Orton did not simply challenge Rhodes verbally. He deliberately escalated their conflict and made it clear that he wanted to get under Cody’s skin.
The feud continued into the Aug. 28 episode, when WWE presented another confrontation between the two.
According to WWE’s official results, Orton attempted to provoke Rhodes into attacking him. The segment reinforced the idea that Orton was trying to control the emotional side of the rivalry as much as the physical side.
That approach fits the character WWE has built around Orton for years. He is often portrayed as calculating and dangerous, particularly when he has time to study an opponent.
For Cody, the challenge is different from simply preparing for a standard championship defense. Orton knows him well, and the rivalry has become increasingly personal.
Kevin Owens’ History With Cody Rhodes
Kevin Owens has a separate but important history with Cody Rhodes.
Their most prominent recent encounter came at the Dec. 14, 2024 edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event, when Rhodes defended the Undisputed WWE Championship against Owens.
WWE described the match as a highly personal battle. The rivalry had developed after Owens became increasingly angry with Rhodes over Cody’s decision to work with Roman Reigns against The Bloodline.
The relationship deteriorated further when Owens attacked Rhodes after the match.
WWE’s official account of the event states that Cody retained the championship, but Owens later attacked him with a piledriver after the broadcast ended. Rhodes subsequently suffered a neck injury that required hospital observation, although WWE reported that X-rays did not show a fracture.
That history helps explain why Owens can now be presented as someone who has legitimate storyline reasons to dislike Cody.
His current relationship with Orton is therefore not simply about two wrestlers randomly deciding they dislike the same opponent. Both men have previously had major conflicts with Rhodes.
The Connection to WWE Saturday Night Main Event
The search term wwe saturday night main event remains relevant because the brand has played an important role in the recent Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens story.
Saturday Night’s Main Event originally became famous as one of WWE’s historic television specials. WWE revived the event in December 2024, with the return edition taking place at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Long Island.
That comeback show featured Cody Rhodes defending his Undisputed WWE Championship against Kevin Owens. WWE later continued the revived series with additional events during 2025 and 2026.
The revived event became an important showcase for major WWE matches while also serving as a bridge between weekly television and larger premium events.
For Cody Rhodes, the series has particular significance because his rivalry with Owens became one of the headline stories surrounding its return.
What Happened at Saturday Night’s Main Event in 2026?
WWE held multiple Saturday Night’s Main Event events during 2026.
The January edition took place on Jan. 24 at Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec. The card included Cody Rhodes vs. Jacob Fatu, AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, a WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship match and a fatal four-way match involving Randy Orton, Sami Zayn, Damian Priest and Trick Williams.
The four-way match was particularly important for Orton because the winner would earn a championship opportunity.
Sami Zayn ultimately won the match, defeating Orton, Priest and Trick Williams. That result meant Orton did not receive the title opportunity coming out of the contest.
WWE later staged another Saturday Night’s Main Event in May and another in July. The July edition included Bayley vs. Lyra Valkyria, while the broader card featured several prominent WWE Superstars.
The series has therefore remained active in 2026, even as WWE has recently begun experimenting with a Sunday version.
Why the Main Event Name Is Changing
One important point for fans searching for the latest wwe saturday night main event information is that the upcoming event is not actually scheduled for Saturday.
WWE has announced the first-ever Sunday Night’s Main Event for Sept. 6, 2026, at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.
The event is scheduled to stream live at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. In the United States, WWE says the show will stream exclusively on Peacock, while the international distribution information listed by WWE includes YouTube.
The headline match is Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton.
That makes the current Orton-Rhodes storyline directly relevant to WWE’s newest Main Event-branded show.
The change from Saturday to Sunday does not erase the history of Saturday Night’s Main Event. Instead, WWE is expanding the concept into another night while continuing to use the recognizable Main Event branding.
For searchers, that distinction matters: older results and archives may refer to Saturday Night’s Main Event, while the latest event is officially being promoted as Sunday Night’s Main Event.
What Comes Next for Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton?
The next major development is the scheduled match between Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton at Sunday Night’s Main Event on Sept. 6.
WWE’s official preview describes the match as Rhodes going to war with Orton and confirms that the show will take place during Labor Day weekend in Atlanta.
The buildup has already become increasingly personal.
Orton attacked Rhodes on Aug. 14. The two then confronted each other again on Aug. 28, with WWE emphasizing Orton’s attempt to provoke the champion.
Adding Kevin Owens to the surrounding storyline gives WWE another avenue for conflict.
However, WWE has not officially announced that Orton and Owens will form a permanent alliance. The current verified development is that they shared a segment built around their mutual dislike of Cody.
That distinction is important. Wrestling storylines can evolve quickly, but a single interaction should not automatically be treated as confirmation of a new faction or long-term partnership.
WWE Main Event Storyline Timeline
December 2024: Cody Rhodes defended the Undisputed WWE Championship against Kevin Owens at the return edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event. Rhodes won, but Owens attacked him after the show.
January 2026: Randy Orton competed against Sami Zayn, Damian Priest and Trick Williams in a fatal four-way match at Saturday Night’s Main Event. Zayn won the match and earned the championship opportunity.
May 2026: WWE held another edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event, continuing the revived event series.
July 2026: WWE staged another Saturday Night’s Main Event, including Bayley vs. Lyra Valkyria.
Aug. 14, 2026: Orton attacked Rhodes on SmackDown, triggering a major brawl.
Aug. 28, 2026: WWE featured Orton and Owens together in a segment centered on their shared dislike of Rhodes. Orton also confronted Cody separately during the same episode.
Sept. 6, 2026: Cody Rhodes is scheduled to face Randy Orton at the first Sunday Night’s Main Event in Atlanta.
The Bigger Picture for WWE
The latest storyline shows how WWE is connecting several individual rivalries around its top stars.
Cody Rhodes is at the center of the current story with Randy Orton, but Kevin Owens’ presence adds historical context. Owens has already experienced a major championship rivalry with Cody, while Orton’s current feud has developed into one of the prominent stories on SmackDown.
The situation also demonstrates why the Main Event brand remains useful to WWE.
Saturday Night’s Main Event returned as a vehicle for major matches, and its 2026 schedule has included several important bouts. Now WWE is taking the concept into Sunday programming with a show headlined by Rhodes and Orton.
For fans searching for wwe saturday night main event, the most useful takeaway is that the brand has not disappeared. Instead, WWE is continuing the concept while introducing a Sunday edition.
At the center of the latest story is Cody Rhodes, who now has Randy Orton directly targeting him while Kevin Owens has also found common ground with Orton over their dislike of the champion.
The relationship between Orton and Owens may or may not develop into something larger. What is confirmed is that WWE has deliberately placed the two men in the same storyline orbit as Rhodes, creating another layer of tension heading into the next Main Event special.
Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton Sets Up the Next Major Chapter
The most significant immediate development is the upcoming Cody Rhodes-Randy Orton match.
Their rivalry has already moved beyond ordinary competitive tension, with Orton attacking Rhodes and repeatedly attempting to provoke him. The Aug. 28 segment involving Owens gives the story an additional dimension because both Orton and Owens have established reasons to oppose Cody.
Meanwhile, WWE’s Main Event franchise is entering a new phase. The traditional Saturday branding remains part of WWE’s recent history, but the Sept. 6 show will be the first Sunday Night’s Main Event.
That makes the current storyline bigger than a single backstage segment. It connects WWE’s revived television special, Cody Rhodes’ championship era, Randy Orton’s latest rivalry and Kevin Owens’ complicated history with Cody.
For now, the clearest question is not whether Orton and Owens will become a permanent team, but what their shared hostility toward Rhodes means for the champion as he heads into his next major match.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the latest WWE Saturday Night Main Event update?
A: WWE has continued the revived Main Event series in 2026, but the next scheduled event is being promoted as Sunday Night’s Main Event on Sept. 6 in Atlanta.
Q: Why are Randy Orton and Kevin Owens against Cody Rhodes?
A: Both men have separate histories with Rhodes. Owens previously had a major championship rivalry with Cody, while Orton’s current feud with Rhodes intensified during August 2026.
Q: Did Randy Orton and Kevin Owens form a new WWE tag team?
A: WWE has not officially announced a permanent tag team involving Orton and Owens. The Aug. 28 SmackDown segment showed them bonding over their shared dislike of Cody Rhodes.
Q: When did Cody Rhodes fight Kevin Owens at Saturday Night’s Main Event?
A: Rhodes defended the Undisputed WWE Championship against Owens at the Dec. 14, 2024 return edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event. Rhodes won the match.
Q: When did Randy Orton first attack Cody Rhodes during the current feud?
A: Orton launched a surprise attack on Rhodes during the Aug. 14, 2026 episode of SmackDown, leading to a chaotic brawl.
Q: When is Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton?
A: WWE has scheduled Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton for Sunday Night’s Main Event on Sept. 6, 2026, at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.
Q: Where can U.S. fans watch Sunday Night’s Main Event?
A: WWE says the Sept. 6 event will stream live in the United States exclusively on Peacock at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.