Friday’s episode of WWE SmackDown from Cincinnati opened with a heated confrontation involving Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton, and Paul Heyman’s faction, The Vision. The exchange set the tone for the evening and laid the groundwork for the main event, while continuing to build toward the upcoming Crown Jewel premium live event.

Cody Rhodes made his way to the ring to address the audience, but before he could begin, Paul Heyman interrupted him. Flanked by Bronson Reed and Bron Breakker, Heyman led The Vision to surround the ring. Just as tension rose, Randy Orton arrived to stand shoulder to shoulder with Rhodes.

Heyman revealed that their appearance was not directed at Rhodes but aimed squarely at Orton. He claimed Orton had been ignoring his calls, texts, and emails, and that the only way to guarantee Orton’s presence was by cornering Rhodes. “That was a spoiler and not a prediction,” Heyman declared.

From there, Heyman attempted to sow discord between Rhodes and Orton ahead of their tag team clash with Reed and Breakker. He forecasted their defeat and suggested it would push Orton to question both his alliance with Rhodes and his own standing as a potential champion. Heyman implied Orton might start believing he was more suited to hold the title than Rhodes and wonder why Rhodes had not been there for him in the past.

Heyman concluded his address with a chilling proclamation, insisting that Rhodes and Orton’s partnership could not survive. “That is not a prediction, it is a prophecy,” he finished.

Meanwhile, more matches have been confirmed for the Crown Jewel event. Raw’s Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer will collide with SmackDown’s WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton in a Champion vs. Champion bout. John Cena is scheduled to face AJ Styles, and Rhea Ripley will team with Iyo Sky to challenge The Kabuki Warriors.

WWE Crown Jewel Match Card

Here are the matches scheduled for WWE Crown Jewel:

• Cody Rhodes vs. Seth Rollins – Singles match for the WWE Crown Jewel Championship

• Stephanie Vaquer vs. Tiffany Stratton – Singles match for the WWE Women’s Crown Jewel Championship

• John Cena vs. AJ Styles – Singles match

• Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky vs. The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane) – Tag team match