WWE found a unique way to spotlight Cody Rhodes' upcoming Hollywood debut during the final episode of SmackDown before SummerSlam, blending his movie role directly into one of the company's biggest rivalries.

Rather than running a standard advertisement, WWE produced a cinematic vignette that tied Rhodes' role as Guile in Street Fighter to his looming Undisputed WWE Championship showdown with CM Punk.

The promotional video opened with a close-up of military dog tags resting inside a locker room before cutting between footage from Rhodes and Punk's intense in ring confrontation earlier in the night and scenes of Rhodes sitting alone beside his wrestling gear. As Punk declared, "SummerSlam, I'm gonna break your heart," Rhodes picked up the dog tags while Guile's iconic theme music began to play.

The presentation seamlessly connected Rhodes' WWE storyline with his Hollywood project, promoting both without distracting from the high stakes of his SummerSlam title defense.

Rhodes stars as Guile in Paramount Pictures' live action Street Fighter movie, which is scheduled to arrive in theaters on October 16, 2026. The legendary video game character is best known as a U.S. Air Force Major recognized for his signature flat top hairstyle, camouflage attire, and famous attacks including the Sonic Boom and Flash Kick.

The recently released trailer offered fans their first look at Rhodes fully transformed into the character, complete with Guile's trademark military look.

Rhodes will not be the only WWE name featured in the film. Roman Reigns is also part of the cast, portraying the iconic villain Akuma, giving wrestling fans another major crossover to look forward to when the movie hits theaters.

.@CodyRhodes has big things coming 👊@ParamountPics | @Street_Fighter pic.twitter.com/OA2s2jC424

, WWE (@WWE) August 1, 2026