At the start of the season premiere of WWE SmackDown on the USA Network, Cody Rhodes retained the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship in a Steel Cage match against Solo Sikoa. However, he would be attacked by The Bloodline after the match.
Thankfully, an unlikely ally was able to make the save as Roman Reigns returned to take the fight to Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, Tama Tonga, and Tonga Loa, fighting alongside Rhodes to send them packing.
But that wasn’t all for the night, as Sikoa would approach SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis backstage, requesting a tag team match for WWE Bad Blood against Reigns and Rhodes — which The American Nightmare initially rejected, saying he was done with The Bloodline, as far as he was concerned.
Later in the show’s finale, The Original Tribal Chief was in the ring for a promo segment with Aldis and a contract for the match, reiterating that this is still his WWE and he doesn’t need a contract to handle family business.
Adorned with his WWE Championship, Rhodes came out to put Reigns in his place, reminding him that it hasn’t been his WWE since WrestleMania XL, when The American Nightmare defeated Reigns to win the title.
In a case of “the enemy of my enemy is my friend,” Rhodes and Reigns would find themselves against battling it out with The Bloodline, ultimately resulting in a reluctant alliance truly formed as both signed the contract, making the tag team match for WWE Bad Blood now official.