3 Reasons why Cody Rhodes should drop the Undisputed WWE Title to Drew McIntyre

Cody Rhodes finished his revenge arc at WWE SummerSlam 2025, defeating John Cena clean in a hard-hitting match. However, the post-SummerSlam edition of Friday Night SmackDown created a new roadblock in The American Nightmare's way. Drew McIntyre launched a brutal attack on the 40-year-old champion, laying the groundwork for their feud.

With the angle, WWE has seemingly confirmed that Drew McIntyre is next in line for a shot at Rhodes' gold.

While many expect The American Nightmare to beat the Scotsman, this listicle examines three reasons why Cody Rhodes should drop his Undisputed WWE Title to McIntyre.

#3. No real competition left for Rhodes

The American Nightmare has been in the title picture since WrestleMania 39. He won the world championship by ending Roman Reigns' historic reign at 'Mania XL and carried the gold around his waist for over a year before losing it to John Cena in April. Rhodes regained it at SummerSlam with a huge win over Cena.

As champion, Rhodes has faced multiple top challengers from both RAW and SmackDown and defeated them. Considering the current roster, there are limited title feuds left for him. Hence, WWE should book him to drop the title to McIntyre and start a new chapter.

#2. Dream WWE feud against Orton

A rivalry between Cody Rhodes and his mentor, Randy Orton, has been years in the making. Ever since the 40-year-old star returned to the Stamford-based promotion, fans have wanted to see him feud with The Viper.

The two had a match at Night of Champions 2025, which ended with Rhodes beating Orton and winning the 2025 King of the Ring Tournament. While The Viper is still friends with his former mentee, he might snap at The American Nightmare at any given moment.

A heel Orton could cost Rhodes his title, planting the seeds for a deeply personal rivalry. The two could feud, leading to a series of matches, while McIntyre could represent SmackDown as its top champion.

#1. McIntyre needs to be rewarded for his hard work

Since turning heel, Drew McIntyre has been on a roll and has had classic feuds against CM Punk and Damian Priest. The Scottish Warrior gave it his all in both programs and even sustained minor injuries.

The Scotsman deserves recognition for being the company's top heel superstar for a long time. His remarkable character work and in-ring abilities have allowed him to have main event programs without the involvement of a championship.

The creative team should put the title on Drew McIntyre and reward him for his excellent work.

About the author

Nayan is a WWE News and Features writer at Sportskeeda Wrestling. After completing his bachelor's degree in Mass Communication from Poddar International, he began working as a YouTube script writer. Nayan then transitioned to Pinkvilla as a combat sports writer. He gained valuable experience there before finally coming under the banner of Sportskeeda.

Within 1.5 years, Nayan has written over 1,000 articles, interviewed MFN promotion owners, and conducted a Twitter campaign that gained over 50k retweets and more. He puts fact-checking and mindful journalism above everything by applying a three-check method, where he tries to verify reports from reliable sources and cross-check whether other major publications have covered them.

Looking back at his association with pro wrestling, Nayan recalls being hooked on the sport after watching Shawn Michael vs. The Undertaker at WrestleMania 25. Since then, the product has been an inseparable part of his life.

Apart from The Heartbreak Kid being Nayan's favorite wrestler for his confidence and charisma, he is also a fan of Brock Lesnar due to The Beast's "work speaks louder than words" attitude.

Nayan can be found performing mixed martial arts and reading true crime in his free time.

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Edited by Pratik Singh