The WWE landscape shifted significantly after Drew McIntyre claimed the Undisputed WWE Championship by defeating Cody Rhodes in a grueling Three Stages of Hell match on last week’s Friday Night SmackDown. This victory has had ripple effects, including the reported cancellation of a planned third rematch between Rhodes, also known as The American Nightmare, and Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 42, which will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Despite the cancellation, the storied rivalry between Rhodes and Roman Reigns appears to have taken on an additional layer, potentially reshaping the upcoming WrestleMania main event.
Potential Title Transition From McIntyre to Reigns Adds New Twist
According to a recent Self Made Sessions episode, insider Ibou revealed that Drew McIntyre proposed serving as the “middleman” champion. This strategy aims to elevate the ongoing feud between Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns, benefiting both McIntyre’s standing as the Undisputed champion and WWE’s storyline depth leading into WrestleMania 42.
Ibou explained that McIntyre could maintain his title reign as Rhodes undergoes a character evolution, possibly hinting that Rhodes was involved in an attack on Jacob Fatu without immediately turning heel. Meanwhile, Roman Reigns might not be heavily featured during this buildup due to his part-time status, creating a narrative space for the title to change hands between McIntyre and Reigns before WrestleMania.
This setup could culminate with Roman Reigns capturing the Undisputed WWE Championship from McIntyre, setting the stage for a high-stakes showdown with Cody Rhodes in Las Vegas at WrestleMania 42.
Implications for WrestleMania 42 and WWE Storylines
This evolving plan suggests a deliberate complexity in WWE’s booking, blending character shifts with title changes to create compelling television. The reported intention to have Roman Reigns dethrone McIntyre adds suspense and raises the stakes for WrestleMania’s main event.
“And the bottom line is, what I believe they were going to do is play around with all these elements, all these moving parts. Roman Reigns was most likely going to challenge Drew McIntyre and beat Drew McIntyre at some point in this process. And then he was going to face a challenging Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania.”
— Self Made Sessions, credit to ITR Wrestling for transcription
With this possible storyline arc, WWE fans can expect a dramatic title journey for Drew McIntyre and intense rivalries leading into one of the company’s biggest events of the year.
