5 Ups & 2 Downs From WWE SmackDown (27 Dec - Results & Review)

1. Cody Rhodes Pitches A Ladder Match

The minutes were ticking down rapidly on SmackDown's two hour format once Kevin Owens hit the ring for his show-closing segment opposite Nick Aldis and Cody Rhodes, so everybody had to be on their toes to make sure the biggest beats had ample time to sink in. Good news: KO is at his best when he races through some dialogue and makes demands. That led to Cody making a demand of his own.

He pitched a ladder match vs. Owens at Royal Rumble. Add that to the list of epic Rumble moments from the past few decades already - it's sure to be a scorcher. They'll hang both the standard WWE Title Rhodes holds and the 'Winged Eagle' version Kev stole high above the ring and finish their feud once and for all. Hell, we might even get a Randy Orton return. RKO off the ladder for the finish? Don't rule it out.

This was a strong, serious and impactful promo skit that let Owens show himself up as a dirtbag all over again. He shoved Aldis into Cody then stood tall. Meanwhile, Rhodes cut a fiery speech before getting to the payoff. This noble-but-vengeful version of Cody is the best, so it's a good thing KO's brattish behaviour brings that out in him.

It’ll be interesting to see how they string things out for another month, but at least now the writers have an end point to work towards before heading into the next major PLE. You just know wheels will be spinning in the heads of Kevin and Cody already as well. They'll bend over backwards to make sure this ladder match is outstanding.

Let the build begin.

What did you think of WWE's final SmackDown from 2024? For more wrestling, check out 50 Things You Learn Binge-Watching Every WWE Royal Rumble and 50 Things You Learn Binge-Watching Every WWE WrestleMania!