As December unfolds, WWE’s creative direction appears to be shifting in anticipation of WrestleMania 42. Originally, Cody Rhodes was slated to defend the Undisputed WWE Championship against Roman Reigns in what would mark their third grand stage encounter in just four years. However, following Drew McIntyre’s successful title victory on the January 9 episode of “WWE SmackDown,” the narrative is now being recalibrated.
Reports from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter indicate that significant adjustments to WrestleMania 42 plans were made just 48 hours before last Friday’s “SmackDown,” which took place in Berlin, Germany. The decision to hand the Undisputed WWE Championship to McIntyre reportedly reflects WWE CCO Paul “Triple H” Levesque’s intent to keep the storyline fresh and prevent fans from experiencing burnout from repeated matchups involving Rhodes and Reigns.
Cody Rhodes, who has been instrumental in striving for meaningful storytelling, acknowledged that the title change would enhance both his narrative and the overall viewing experience for fans as WrestleMania approaches. Meanwhile, McIntyre has been a vocal supporter of this storyline evolution, believing it would benefit all parties involved.
Before this recent title change, McIntyre faced Rhodes at WWE Wrestlepalooza and on “SmackDown” in October, only to come up short in both encounters. Their last bout featured a Three Stages of Hell match format, which included a standard match, a Falls Count Anywhere bout, and a Steel Cage Match. In a surprising turn of events, Jacob Fatu made a dramatic return, attacking both competitors and allowing McIntyre to escape while chaos unfolded within the cage, hinting at the possibility of a three-way title contention down the line.
This evolving narrative sets an exciting stage as WWE gears up for WrestleMania 42, with the potential for fresh matchups that can keep the audience engaged and intrigued. Fans can look forward to how these developments will shape the title’s future and the dramatic paths of Rhodes, McIntyre, and possibly Fatu as WrestleMania approaches.