At Wrestlepalooza, WWE’s premium live event streamed for the first time on ESPN, Drew McIntyre suffered another defeat, losing to Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship. This event marked a historic broadcast for WWE, but the booking of the Scottish Warrior raised questions about the company’s direction. While Rhodes, known as The American Nightmare, secured the victory on a night where he arguably could not afford to lose, McIntyre’s continued setbacks stirred debate among fans and insiders.
Criticism from Jonathan Coachman Over McIntyre’s Booking Strategy
Former WWE personality Jonathan Coachman addressed the booking of Drew McIntyre on X (formerly Twitter), expressing frustration over the star’s string of losses despite his strong physical presence and work ethic. Coachman described Wrestlepalooza as a “glorified SmackDown,” criticizing the overhype from Triple H yet lack of substantial surprises during the event. Coachman was particularly vocal about McIntyre’s continuous defeats over the past two years, questioning why the company chooses to book such a talented performer in unfavorable outcomes.
He said,
“And what has Drew McIntyre done to p**s off the bosses. He is one of my favorites and what every superstar should aspire to be and look like. And he has been losing every big match for 2 years.”
Limited Surprises and Missing Top Stars at Wrestlepalooza
In addition to his comments on McIntyre, Coachman also criticized the absence of several top WWE superstars from the event. Fans had anticipated surprise appearances or run-ins involving stars such as Roman Reigns, Randy Orton, Rhea Ripley, Bianca Belair, and Charlotte Flair, but none took place. According to Coachman, this diminished the event’s impact, making it feel less like a premium live experience and more like a standard weekly show.
He remarked,
“I thought they were going to have run ins. Legit surprises. No Roman, no Randy, no Rhea, No Bianca, No Charlotte. I would have had all stars on deck. Felt like a glorified Smackdown to me.”
Notable Moments Beyond the Main Event
Despite the booking controversies, Wrestlepalooza featured key moments that captured fan attention. Brock Lesnar reunited with Paul Heyman in a surprise appearance, generating buzz across WWE circles. Additionally, The Undertaker made a special appearance to announce Stephanie McMahon as the first inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2026, a moment that reportedly took Stephanie by surprise.
Coachman summarized these highlights:
“HHH promised a bunch of surprises tonight at Wrestlepalooza and we got 2. (1) Paul Heyman introduces Brock (2) Stephanie McMahon finds out she is being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.”
Future Outlook for Drew McIntyre and Cody Rhodes
With another definitive loss for Drew McIntyre under his belt, questions loom about his trajectory within WWE and how the company plans to utilize him moving forward. Meanwhile, Cody Rhodes’ title reign will be closely watched to see how he capitalizes on this significant victory. The coming weeks in WWE programming are expected to shed light on whether McIntyre will regain momentum or continue to struggle in high-stakes matches.
The ongoing debate surrounding Drew McIntyre WWE booking underscores the challenges WWE faces in balancing star power and storytelling, especially when fan expectations and character potential clash with creative decisions. How this evolves will be critical to WWE’s landscape in the near term.
HHH promised a bunch of surprises tonight at Wrestlepalooza and we got 2
1. Paul Heyman introduces Brock
2. Stephanie McMahon finds out she is being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.Do you think espn is happy with that as their first show?
I thought they were going to…
— The Coach (@Thecoachrules) September 21, 2025
