At the recent Men’s Royal Rumble event in Saudi Arabia, WWE Superstar Drew McIntyre unexpectedly attacked Cody Rhodes during the match, a move that significantly impacted the competition’s outcome. McIntyre’s actions were motivated by longstanding tensions between the two, which the Scottish warrior disclosed following the event.
Cody Rhodes entered the Royal Rumble at number 11 and demonstrated strong performance throughout, even managing to eliminate Brock Lesnar with some assistance from LA Knight. However, when Jacob Fatu attempted to toss Rhodes out of the ring, Rhodes clung to the top rope in a desperate bid to stay in the match. It was at this critical moment that McIntyre struck Rhodes with a Claymore Kick, eliminating him from the bout.
McIntyre Explains His Motivations Behind the Attack
During the Royal Rumble Post-Show, interviewer Jackie Redmond questioned Drew McIntyre on why he decided to cost Cody Rhodes the match, especially since McIntyre had already defeated Rhodes to claim the Undisputed WWE Championship earlier this year. McIntyre revealed that Rhodes had repeatedly cost him championship opportunities, placing Rhodes firmly on his list of enemies.
McIntyre shared his perspective starkly:
“Why not? I’m a good guy. I never lie (…) If you don’t wrong me, if you don’t scr*w me time and time again, I’ll be your best friend. But if you wrong me, if you constantly cost me the championship, get on my bad side, I’ll be the worst enemy you’ve ever had. I heard somebody say, ‘Cody Rhodes is the absolute best when he’s in chase mode, when he’s after the title.’ Drew McIntyre is the absolute best when he’s holding the championship. Cody, I will make your life a living hell. I was fine with anybody winning the Rumble, just not you,” he said.
He went on to warn Rhodes that he intended to make things difficult for him moving forward, emphasizing that he had no problem with anyone else winning, but was determined to prevent Rhodes from claiming victory.
McIntyre’s Role at the Royal Rumble and Title Defense
Though McIntyre was not officially competing in the Royal Rumble match itself, his interference decidedly affected the bout, preventing Rhodes from earning a spot in the WrestleMania main event. Earlier during the show, McIntyre successfully defended his Undisputed WWE Championship title against Sami Zayn.
On January 24, 2026, at WWE’s Saturday Night’s Main Event, Sami Zayn earned the number one contender position for McIntyre’s title by winning a Fatal Four-Way Match against Randy Orton, Damian Priest, and Trick Williams. Zayn aimed for his first world title at the Royal Rumble but was unable to overcome McIntyre’s dominance in the ring.
Potential Future Developments for McIntyre and the WWE Landscape
With McIntyre maintaining his championship status and creating new rivalries, particularly with Rhodes, uncertainty surrounds the direction WWE’s Triple H-led creative team will take next. The tension between McIntyre and Rhodes is likely to escalate as McIntyre makes clear his intent to hinder Rhodes’ ambitions within WWE.
This ongoing conflict has broad implications for the championship picture and WrestleMania’s main card, leaving fans anxious to see how such rivalries will unfold in the coming months.
