Drew McIntyre is proving to be a major obstacle for Cody Rhodes. On this week’s episode of WWE SmackDown, McIntyre once again gained the upper hand—both physically and mentally—over the Undisputed WWE Champion. But the real question is whether this momentum will carry into their match at Saturday Night’s Main Event.
Rhodes’ confidence has been visibly shaken in recent weeks. McIntyre has repeatedly gotten inside his head, causing emotional reactions and careless decisions. That psychological warfare escalated again on Friday as their title showdown approaches.
The show also highlighted Ilja Dragunov’s continuing United States Championship open challenge, along with a fiery verbal confrontation between WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton and Jade Cargill ahead of their title match.
McIntyre Outplays Rhodes During Contract Signing
SmackDown ended with the official contract signing between Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre. McIntyre initially refused to sign, calling the contract unfair. He insisted on changing the rules to ensure Rhodes couldn’t retain the title by disqualification or countout—especially after Rhodes intentionally caused a disqualification in a previous match.
Rhodes agreed, and SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis approved the stipulation change.
McIntyre mocked Rhodes for being a company man and called himself the real “American Dream,” referencing Cody’s late father, Dusty Rhodes. Cody fired back by comparing their personal journeys—reminding McIntyre that he left WWE to prove himself, while McIntyre only found purpose after being fired.
As Rhodes tried to end the segment, McIntyre struck with a verbal low blow, asking how it felt to miss Halloween with his daughters. Rhodes tried to retaliate, but McIntyre evaded him, only to return with a sudden Claymore Kick. He then powerbombed Rhodes to close out the show.
The segment hit all the right notes—McIntyre’s demand for a fair stipulation made sense, and Rhodes’ acceptance reinforced his reputation as a fighting champion. The added stipulation makes the match more unpredictable, as McIntyre could potentially exploit the rules. Strong promos from both wrestlers made this one of the show’s standout moments. Grade: B+
Other Highlights from WWE SmackDown
-
Jade Cargill and Tiffany Stratton nearly came to blows but were separated by security before a fight could break out.
-
United States Championship: Ilja Dragunov defeated Nathan Frazer with an H-Bomb to retain his title.
-
Carmelo Hayes defeated Kit Wilson with a codebreaker. After the match, The Miz attacked Hayes.
-
Alexa Bliss scored a surprise win over Nia Jax with a quick rollup after a distraction from Charlotte Flair.
-
MFTs (Tama Tonga & JC Mateo) beat the Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) after Tonga hit the Cutthroat on Sabin. Post-match, Rey Fenix and Shinsuke Nakamura attempted to help the MCMG but were taken down as well.
