Randy Orton will face Cody Rhodes in a Last Man Standing match at Crown Jewel.
WWE announced the match on Friday’s SmackDown at Toyota Arena in Ontario, California.
Orton opened the segment by praising the aggression Rhodes has shown in recent weeks. But Orton said he would have a hard time hitting Rhodes with a Punt Kick, even after everything that has happened between them.
Rhodes came out to confront Orton and demanded another match. Nick Aldis stepped in and announced that the two would meet at the next premium live event. Orton and Rhodes agreed to the Last Man Standing stipulation.
LAST. MAN. STANDING. @CodyRhodes and @RandyOrton will go head-to-head at #WWECrownJewel in a Last Man Standing Match 👀 https://t.co/SqmweUU5qt
— WWE (@WWE) October 24, 2026
The two have met in singles competition twice this year. Rhodes defeated Orton at WrestleMania 42 in April but lost the rematch at Sunday Night’s Main Event in September after he hesitated to hit a Punt Kick. Orton capitalized with a low blow and put Rhodes away with an RKO.
In an interview with Michael Cole on the September 18 episode of SmackDown, Rhodes had already promised he wouldn’t make the same mistake again.
The Punt Kick came back into play on the October 16 episode of SmackDown. Rhodes won by disqualification due to interference and then hit Baron Corbin with the move in front of Orton.