Cody Rhodes stepped into the SummerSlam ring on 3 August 2026 dressed as Guile — the flat-topped, camo-wearing American soldier from Capcom's Street Fighter series — because he plays that very character in the upcoming Street Fighter film.

It was a cross-promotion baked into the event itself. The Street Fighter movie was one of the official sponsors of WWE SummerSlam, with its branding tied directly to Rhodes's match against CM Punk for the WWE Undisputed Championship. Before Rhodes even appeared, the pay-per-view broadcast shifted to a character select screen styled after Street Fighter 2, with WWE performers like Seth Rollins, Danhausen, and Becky Lynch standing in for the game's roster of fighters (GameSpot).

Rhodes's ring gear was a detailed tribute. His tights mixed white with camouflage patterns echoing Guile's default costume, and his entrance coat had his name stitched in the familiar Street Fighter font. The entrance also featured a Guile mask and a special Street Fighter-themed presentation, according to ESPN's Facebook page. WWE's official merchandise store is selling a "Rhodes SummerSlam 2026 Street Fighter" t-shirt priced at US$34.99 (WWE Shop).

The promotion did not deliver a win, though. Rhodes failed in his bid to dethrone CM Punk as WWE Undisputed Champion. The match, described on WWE's official superstar page as an "epic title fight" presented by Street Fighter, kept the belt around Punk's waist (WWE.com).

Rhodes is not just wearing the costume — he is taking the hits. Speaking on The Pat McAfee Show the day before SummerSlam, he said he insisted on doing his own stunts for his role as Guile in the upcoming film (WWE on Facebook). A sneak peek released the prior week showed Andrew Koji as an imprisoned Ryu fighting a beastly Blanka played by Jason Momoa.

The Street Fighter movie is scheduled for release on 16 October. SummerSlam was not the only video game crossover on the card: Gears of War: E-Day was also a sponsor, with its logo displayed on the ring mat.

For fans, the SummerSlam stunt was a two-for-one — a title match and a movie teaser folded into one entrance. Whether the film delivers on the hype will be decided in October.