Kevin Owens punched his ticket to Money in the Bank on the October 2, 2026 episode of WWE SmackDown, but Randy Orton made damn sure Cody Rhodes wasn’t the one leaving with the final spot. Owens defeated Rhodes and Johnny Gargano in the Triple Threat qualifier after Orton stormed into the finish and physically stopped Cody from breaking up the winning pin.
The match was chaos almost immediately, with Owens, Rhodes and Gargano constantly cutting each other off before anyone could take control for long. Gargano flew all over the place early, hitting a slingshot spear on Cody and a suicide dive on Owens before the fight spilled outside.
Things got nastier once Owens went looking under the ring and pulled out a table. Candice LeRae got involved as well, pulling Gargano off Owens’ shoulders before Johnny sent KO into the ring steps. Cody later nearly caused disaster when Gargano tried to superkick him, only for Rhodes to move and leave Candice standing directly in the line of fire.
Gargano managed to stop himself, but Candice still ended up in trouble moments later. Cody superkicked Gargano, sending Johnny crashing into Candice on the apron and knocking her down near the table. Rhodes then knocked Gargano off the apron and through the table.
Back inside, all three men kept unloading. Owens hit a massive super brainbuster on Gargano for a near fall, while Gargano later turned a double-superplex situation into a sunset flip powerbomb on Cody. Owens followed with a Swanton Bomb, and Gargano immediately cracked KO with a superkick before covering Rhodes for another close two-count.
Cody eventually hit a Cody Cutter on Gargano, while Owens nailed Johnny with a Stunner that nearly ended the match before Rhodes broke up the pin. That set up the moment everything went sideways.
Owens and Cody started trading shots until Rhodes escaped another Stunner and planted KO with Cross Rhodes. Cody had the match right where he wanted it — until Randy Orton suddenly appeared and yanked the referee out of the ring before the count could be made.
Orton then attacked Rhodes on the floor and sent him into the ring steps. Randy tried to set Cody up on the announce table, but Rhodes escaped and sent Orton crashing into the ring post. Cody looked ready to make Orton pay and lined him up while Randy was down on his knees, but Gargano came flying through with a suicide dive before Cody could connect.
That opened the door for the finish. Gargano hit One Final Beat on Owens and nearly stole the match, but KO survived before drilling Johnny with a superkick and Pop-Up Powerbomb. Cody tried to rush back into the ring and break up the cover, but Orton grabbed him and held him back. The referee counted three, giving Owens the victory while Cody could do nothing but watch.
Kevin Owens is now officially in the Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match, but he didn’t get there without Randy Orton turning the entire qualifier upside down. Cody had the match won before Orton ripped the referee away, and then Randy personally made sure Rhodes couldn’t stop Owens from pinning Gargano. Owens got exactly what he wanted — the final Money in the Bank spot — while Cody walked away with another reason to go after Randy Orton.
What did you think about Randy Orton costing Cody Rhodes the qualifier and Kevin Owens advancing to Money in the Bank? Let us know in the comments.
