WWE has big plans in store for this week’s SmackDown.
SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis has officially ordered Drew McIntyre to defend the Undisputed WWE Championship against Cody Rhodes on this week’s episode of WWE SmackDown, and there’s growing belief internally that the bout could result in a title change.
According to one source, there is a strong feeling within WWE that the championship may switch hands on Friday night. That said, another company source cautioned that plans are always subject to change. They also made it clear that any potential decision would not reflect negatively on McIntyre’s performance as champion.
Instead, the driving force behind the possible move is said to be WWE’s larger creative direction for 2026, specifically, positioning Rhodes for a high-profile showdown with Randy Orton later this year on “The Grandest Stage of Them All.”
Orton’s victory inside the 2026 Elimination Chamber was apparently the first major step toward setting that match in motion, as securing the win earned him a guaranteed title shot at WrestleMania 42.
As for McIntyre, his road to WrestleMania 42 remains far less defined. A triple threat match is still considered a possibility, while a singles program with Jacob Fatu has also been discussed creatively.
And then there’s the wild-card scenario.
One more unlikely option that has at least been floated would see an angle lead to McIntyre facing Aldis himself. While Aldis has yet to make his official in-ring debut under the WWE banner, there have been past rumors about him eventually stepping back into competition.
- UPDATE: More details on this story have surfaced. Read here …
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(H/T: PWInsider Elite)
