All articles tagged with #undisputed wwe championship
Drew McIntyre quit SmackDown after losing to Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship, challenging the result on-air before Jacob Fatu interrupted and suggested McIntyre was blaming the wrong people.
Backlash to Cody Rhodes’s Undisputed WWE Championship win on SmackDown has not affected WWE backstage; officials say talent aren’t voicing concerns and plans remain unchanged, with Rhodes set to defend against Randy Orton at WrestleMania despite online criticism and SmackDown’s low 1.91 rating on Cagematch.
Cody Rhodes defeated Drew McIntyre to become the Undisputed WWE Champion, his third reign, setting up a WrestleMania 42 title clash with Randy Orton; the show also featured Carmelo Hayes defending the US Title against El Hijo Del Dr. Wagner Jr., a Jade Cargill–Rhea Ripley face-off that teased their WrestleMania showdown, Flair & Bliss defeating Giulia & Kiana James to boost their contender status, and Damian Priest & R-Truth winning Tag Team Turmoil to earn a title shot, while backstage momentum and promos continued WrestleMania storyline threads.
Internal WWE plans hint that Cody Rhodes could win Friday's SmackDown to capture the Undisputed WWE Championship and defend against Randy Orton at WrestleMania 42, with Orton’s Elimination Chamber victory serving as a setup; McIntyre’s WrestleMania role remains unclear and other angles (including a potential triple threat or Nick Aldis angle) are being discussed, though plans can still change.
WWE's February 27 SmackDown stacks the card ahead of Elimination Chamber and WrestleMania 42, featuring appearances by Cody Rhodes, Trick Williams, Je’Von Evans, Jey Uso, LA Knight and Randy Orton as they vie for the Chamber win and a shot at Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania 42; RHIYO defends the Women’s Tag Team Championship against Nia Jax & Lash Legend; Candice LeRae faces Jordynne Grace; Oba Femi takes on The Miz; and Solo Sikoa battles Uncle Howdy, all shaping WWE's main event picture.
On the January 16 SmackDown in London’s OVO Arena Wembley, Drew McIntyre defeated Cody Rhodes to become the new Undisputed WWE Champion and announced a contract clause blocking Rhodes from an automatic rematch; Randy Orton declared he’d be the next champion, Jacob Fatu interrupted, and The Miz launched an early qualifying match with a Skull Crushing Finale, signaling a chaotic title picture ahead.
Drew McIntyre is set to open the January 16, 2026 episode of WWE SmackDown as the Undisputed WWE Champion from the OVO Arena Wembley in London, with Jacob Fatu's involvement teased for a potential early confrontation. The show also features Carmelo Hayes’ United States Title Open Challenge and four #1 Contender qualifiers for Saturday Night’s Main Event—Randy Orton vs. The Miz, Matt Cardona vs. Trick Williams, Damian Priest vs. Solo Sikoa, and Sami Zayn vs. Ilja Dragunov—each sending a winner to a fatal four-way at Saturday Night’s Main Event to determine a final challenger.