One Big Thing
NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion Gabe Kidd has issued a warning to Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes ahead of WWE’s upcoming return to Japan in July 2024.
The Warning
In a direct tweet, Kidd warned Rhodes:
“STAY OUT OF MY TERRITORY BEFORE I SLAP YOU UP AND TAKE YOUR BELT AGAIN‼️”
The History
Kidd’s tweet included a short clip from a WCPW match in April 2017, where Kidd pinned Rhodes to win the WCPW Internet Championship in a three-way match that also featured Joe Hendry.
At the time, Rhodes was a member of Bullet Club in NJPW. In a recent video, Kidd reflected on this, saying:
“Cody Rhodes, yeah? I beat you when I was twenty years old and chubby. Imagine if you stood in the ring with me now, you’d be finished.”
Why It Matters
WWE’s return to Japan marks their first tour in the country in five years. The three-show tour, scheduled for July 25-27, 2024, will feature top stars like Cody Rhodes, Shinsuke Nakamura, Drew McIntyre, Bobby Lashley, IYO SKY, and The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane).
Kidd’s warning adds an extra layer of intrigue to the tour, potentially setting up a future confrontation between the NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion and the Undisputed WWE Champion.
Kidd’s Recent Success
Gabe Kidd recently defeated Eddie Kingston to become the NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion at Resurgence on May 11, 2024. The match saw Kingston suffer a leg injury that is likely to sideline him for the rest of the year.
What do you think about Gabe Kidd’s warning to Cody Rhodes? Could we see a confrontation between the two champions in the near future? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!
