Drew McIntyre captured the Undisputed WWE Championship from Cody Rhodes in a Three Stages of Hell Match on an episode of SmackDown back in January.
Before the bout, McIntyre made sure the deck was stacked in his favor. In the contract he signed alongside SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis, he inserted a no-rematch clause — ensuring that if Rhodes lost, he wouldn’t get another crack at the title.
In the weeks since, “The American Nightmare” has tried to claw his way back into contention, attempting to earn another opportunity just as McIntyre demanded. But every time Rhodes seemed close to securing a shot, “The Scottish Psychopath” found a way to derail him — interfering and costing him the opportunity at every turn.
The latest chapter unfolded at Elimination Chamber 2026. McIntyre’s involvement created chaos, and the distraction opened the door for Randy Orton to strike. Orton dropped both men with RKOs and ultimately pinned Rhodes to score the victory.
A furious Nick Aldis confronted McIntyre backstage once the pay-per-view event went off the air. Security had to separate the two, but Aldis revealed that McIntyre will defend the Undisputed WWE Championship against Cody Rhodes this Friday, effectively voiding the no-rematch clause in the process.
According to a report from Pwinsider, the internal belief is that a title change is likely to happen on SmackDown. One WWE source cautioned that plans are always subject to change, but stressed that the potential shift has nothing to do with Drew McIntyre’s performance. Instead, the company’s priority appears to be delivering Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton this year. Orton’s win inside the 2026 Elimination Chamber was reportedly the first major step in that plan.
As for McIntyre, his WrestleMania 42 path remains unclear. A Triple Threat match is still on the table, and a program with Jacob Fatu has also been discussed. Another, more unlikely scenario would see an angle set up between McIntyre and SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis, who has yet to make his official in-ring debut for WWE.
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