Kevin Owens has qualified for the Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match, defeating Cody Rhodes and Johnny Gargano in a Triple Threat qualifier that closed out the October 2, 2026 episode of WWE SmackDown from Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado.
According to Ringside News, Randy Orton stormed into the match late and physically stopped Rhodes, derailing his chance at the final spot. Fightful reported that Owens and Rhodes traded blows late in the contest, with Rhodes hitting Owens with a Cross Rhodes before the finish turned in Owens’ favor.
The win closes out the men’s side of the 2026 Money in the Bank Ladder Match field, with WrestleTalk confirming the full lineup was finalized in the SmackDown main event. POST Wrestling noted that Owens and Tiffany Stratton took the final two qualifying spots for the 2026 men’s and women’s ladder matches, respectively, with Stratton advancing on the women’s side the same night.
The Orton-Rhodes dynamic adds an unresolved wrinkle heading toward Money in the Bank, as Orton’s direct interference prevented Rhodes from claiming the spot Owens ultimately secured. No further details on the nature of the confrontation between Orton and Rhodes were included in the available reports.
