At the Clash at the Castle premium live event, the World Heavyweight Championship was at center stage, but the WWE title took an interesting turn at the start of the night. The Bloodline getting involved at the end of that match was shocking, but it is way too soon for Cody Rhodes vs Solo Sikoa.
Smackdown needs the biggest main event possible for SummerSlam after sagging ratings over the past few months. This Solo Sikoa shift is still the most interesting direction the Bloodline could have gone after WrestleMania. With three new members joining him the faction does feel fresh.
Still, Solo needs to develop more before he can stand across from Cody Rhodes. Beyond Solo, his new Bloodline as a faction has yet to have a signature win, and squaring up with Cody Rhodes et al. is not likely to change their fortunes. No matter how you look at it, it isn’t the right time for Solo Sikoa to enter the spotlight.
Smackdown Faces Shrinking Summer Ratings
The Smackdown ratings are declining, a trend that was almost inevitable after the post-WrestleMania Cody Rhodes championship tour. However, WWE’s other programming is not experiencing the same slump as the blue brand.
To address this, WWE and the creative team need to carefully plan its summer programming on Friday nights until the return of Roman Reigns or The Rock to inject more star power into the main event.
At the moment, one of the key players on Smackdown is the legendary Randy Orton. His inclusion in the main event aligns with WWE’s strategy to improve ratings and keep the audience engaged.
Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes have a history together, and fans are already excited about the prospect of them facing off. From his joining Orton’s Legacy faction to Orton standing by his side against The Bloodline, those two have a real history that a scripted story can’t match. He is a credible champion, too. Yes, the student can become the teacher.
However, the veteran Orton can show Cody that he hasn’t shown him every trick he’s developed throughout his iconic career, stealing a win and the title away.
The program can be brief, but just a few months of the two coming face-to-face on Fridays could revitalize fans’ interest and get more viewers. Couple that with Logan Paul and LA Knight, and then Solo can focus less on carrying the show and more on building his resume and his team.
Solo Sikoa Isn’t World Championship Caliber Yet
In addition to Randy Orton being the more significant matchup, Solo Sikoa isn’t championship material yet. So far, this Bloodline is the successor to the original in name only, and it seems like even WWE is leaning into the idea that he is an illegitimate chief of his tribe. Nobody watching believes that Solo is a real threat to win the title.
Even AJ Styles, chronically under-booked, was able to get fans to buy in before his second match with Rhodes. That comes with more reps, more stories, and more accolades. Sikoa, through no fault of his own, has very few of those.
The WWE has a unique opportunity to elevate Solo Sikoa to a star status within the formidable Bloodline. This could be a defining moment in his career, with new members and a host of potential rivals across both shows.
His inevitable clash with his cousin Roman could be a masterpiece, reminiscent of the feuds Reigns had as champion. However, pushing Solo too high up the card and into a loss could jeopardize these future plans.
It’s challenging to build the stars of the future. Trying to build one that consistently loses to his elders is probably not going to work in the long run. Solo has a much better narrative as the ‘savior’ of the Bloodline if he spends some time actually trying to do that before failing to take out Cody.
The Bloodline Needs More Wins First
It feels a little too soon for Cody Rhodes vs. Solo Sikoa because Solo and The Bloodline are coming off several losses. As a unit, they have had a few memorable moments, mainly revolving around their coming together for the first time. The recent addition of Jacob Fatu to their ranks serves as another intriguing moment.
Also, the team has had a few wins in the past couple of months, but not overwhelmingly. Each individual member, apart from Fatu, has lost in singles or tag team action since creating Solo’s Bloodline. Jumping right to the top of the card feels unearned. The unit does not feel like a threat. WWE doesn’t want to build a paper tiger out of the group, which is what pushing them now would probably do.
OMG! Jacob Fatu is here!!!
He just took down @RandyOrton with ease! 😳#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/ZLFCBtL29D
— WWE (@WWE) June 22, 2024
A strong Bloodline could help the product in so many ways right now. For one thing, they could eventually be a strong foil when they run Cody Rhodes vs Solo Sikoa. Obviously, The Rock and Roman Reigns will want the faction to be at full strength when they return as either friend or foe.
WWE is also going through a faction renaissance, capped off just recently by the fantastic Wyatt Sick6 debut. Given how much mileage Solo and his crew still have ahead of them, it makes far more sense to wait on this run. Focusing on matches that The Bloodline can win for now is the most sensible plan for this summer. There will be time later for Cody Rhodes vs Solo Sikoa.
Building toward the Way Too Soon For Cody Rhodes vs Solo Sikoa Match
👀 #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/azBzno61ME
— WWE (@WWE) June 21, 2024
WWE is somewhat intent on this program between the two. Recently, WWE hinted at a team match on the horizon. Randy Orton would likely factor into those plans which is great. Making The Bloodline a mere setup for Orton and Rhodes diminishes that faction, which used to rule Friday night programming.
It is likely better than the alternative for Cody, WWE, and the fans attending SummerSlam, though. If the plan, though, really is to move forward with a Cody Rhodes vs Solo Sikoa match, then
The Bloodline needs to get bigger, brighter, and scarier as soon as possible. Any hidden members that are just waiting for the right moment, now is the time to bring them out. Any angles that might be over the top should be considered well below the ceiling. Cody and Solo need to make The Rock’s beatdown of Rhodes earlier this year look tame.
When it ends, Solo needs to look inevitable as a champion, not just a prospect. That will charge up the title match to where it needs to be. Hopefully, it will also make Solo and Roman’s feud for “head of the table” even more significant when it happens.
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