Cody Rhodes defeated Kevin Owens in WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event to retain the WWE Champion, but in a strange twist, it was the babyface Rhodes who emerged with a dirty win.

Rhodes has essentially been WWE’s “golden boy” for the past two years – just ask Owens – and if there was ever any doubt about that, “The American Nightmare” dispelled those concerns when he defeated Roman Reignst at WrestleMania 40. As Rhodes ended, Reigns’ historic title run of more than 1,300 days was, and remains, widespread expectation that Rhodes would hold the title until the end, and perhaps even all the way to WrestleMania 41.

Then came Owens’ epic heel turn – in which he attacked both Rhodes and Randy Orton – just as reports of Owens possibly signing a new contract were causing a stir. Now, Owens is one of the most compelling characters in all of pro wrestling who is genuinely upset about how he lost his WWE title shot Main event on Saturday evening.

After an accidental hit by the referee, Owens hit Rhodes with a stunner and pinned him well past the three count – only the referee couldn’t count it. After another referee push, Rhodes managed to throw his cross-Rhodes finisher on Owens into a steel chair – a tactic usually reserved for a cowardly heel.

ForbesResults of the WWE Main Event on Saturday evening: Günther retains world titleFrom Blake Oestriecher

Well, it’s doubtful anyone has had this intricate finish Main event on Saturday evening Bingo card.

WWE has loaded the card for return Main event on Saturday eveningand Rhodes vs. Owens – which could very well have taken place at Survivor Series – was instead the headlining match of the returning show, seemingly setting the stage for either an upset by Owens or a clean sweep for Rhodes. After all, Owens just lost to Rhodes at the Berlin Bash in August, albeit under very different circumstances.

They were both babyfaces, still loosely associated as allies, and were among the most popular stars in the company. Rhodes is still WWE’s top star, but his reign as champion has lacked that truly memorable rivalry. Then came Owens, who hasn’t held a world title in nearly a decade and had legitimate issues with Rhodes that make sense from a storyline perspective.

Owens had to deal with The Bloodline more than anyone, and so it was Rhodes’ apparent reconciliation with Roman Reigns and The Bloodline that pushed him over the edge. Owens feels justified in his actions, which is what makes his heel turn so compelling. He does indeed have a legitimate reason to be angry at Rhodes, and now he has even more reason to turn against Rhodes after the WWE Champion took a shortcut to retain his title on Saturday night.

Call it what you will, but just a few months ago no one could have imagined that Rhodes would retain the WWE Championship in this way in 2024.

However, Rhodes has hinted that his plans for WrestleMania 41 will surprise fans, perhaps suggesting that he will spin off into another rivalry in the coming weeks. But the first real shock came Main event on Saturday evening as Rhodes reclaimed WWE’s classic Winged Eagle title, only to take the easy way out and leave with the belt in hand.

If there’s one thing WWE fans can expect in Triple H’s creative era – which has allowed WWE to reach unprecedented heights – it’s long-term storytelling. So there’s a real path for Rhodes to continue his feud with Owens after defeating his former friend at Nassau Coliseum.

Owens may have lost Main event on Saturday eveningbut this conclusion suggests there is more to come between Rhodes and the former Universal Champion. After all, Owens has spent the last few months establishing himself as a formidable antagonist, the type of WWE star who can win a world title without anyone doubting it. Now he has a valid criticism that could give him another chance at gold.

And while some fans will question the decision to book a babyface Rhodes in this way, WWE’s current creative regime pays attention to small details when booking. This means that Rhodes’ cheap win was no coincidence.

Owens is worthy of holding championship gold in an era where long title reigns ensure few stars achieve it, and while he’s not WWE Champion yet, this messy finish should give him another chance.