Cody Rhodes Retains Undisputed WWE Title Against Drew McIntyre at Saturday Night's Main Event

♪ Wrestling has more than one royal family ♪ (rock music) ♪ Adrenaline, in my soul ♪ ♪ Every thought, out of control ♪ ♪ Do it all to get them off their feet ♪ ♪ Crowd is here, about to blow ♪ ♪ Waitin' for me to start the show ♪ ♪ Out the curtain, lights go up I'm home ♪ ♪ Whoa ♪ (fireworks popping) ♪ And my father said, when I was younger ♪ ♪ Hard times breed better men, better men ♪ ♪ You took it all away, I give it all away ♪ ♪ Can't take my freedom ♪ ♪ Here to change the game, a banner made of pain ♪ ♪ I built my kingdom ♪ ♪ Now you bow to me ♪

♪ You took my dreams but not my name ♪ ♪ You'll follow me until the end ♪ ♪ I am my kingdom ♪ ♪ Lights go down, I'm ready now ♪ ♪ Tear this roof off for the town ♪ ♪ Gonna give 'em what they came to see ♪ ♪ Hear the crowd, on their toes ♪ ♪ Ready for me to start the show ♪ ♪ Out the curtain, lights go up I'm home ♪ ♪ Whoa ♪ (fireworks popping) ♪ And my father said ♪ Ladies and gentlemen, Drew McIntyre's mind games has cost Cody Rhodes the champion's advantage here tonight. ♪ You took it all away ♪ If Cody Rhodes is disqualified or if he's counted out, he will lose the Undisputed WWE championship.

♪ I built my kingdom ♪ ♪ Now you bow to me ♪ That stipulation came to fruition last night, agreed to by our general manager Nick Aldis from "Friday Night SmackDown". And the question is, will it bite Cody Rhodes? ♪ Tell me what to do ♪ ♪ I saw the door ♪ Well, Cody Rhodes needs to get his game head on rapidly. We saw the mental breakdown of Cody Rhodes last night on "SmackDown". And as you mentioned, Michael Cole, if that happens tonight, a major problem occurs in the championship reign of Cody Rhodes because the gold moves over to the challenger Drew McIntyre.

A lot on that man's mind. (blade whooshing) (ominous music) (suspenseful music) (heavy metal music) (fireworks booming) Drew McIntyre says, "Cody Rhodes knows I have his number." In a very frank interview with the "SPORTbible", Drew McIntyre opened up about what it would mean to once again win the WWE championship.

He is the first ever British wrestler to hold that title, but he's never had the celebration in his home land. He says if he wins tonight, he's going to have an open tough bus parade throughout the entire United Kingdom to finally celebrate his reign as champion. Well, tonight Drew gets the opportunity to reclaim gold and the mantle of standard bearer of this industry. Drew wants validation tonight and with it, the glory that was taken away from him during the COVID era. These two met at "WrestlePalooza" back in September in which Cody Rhodes retained the championship after what some call a very controversial call

by the official. Well, that would be an accurate call. Drew's had numerous opportunities at winning gold over the past couple of years and they've all been ripped from him by a combination of outside interference, blatant cheating and terrible referees calls. Well, tonight that ends for good. There could be no excuses after this evening. Hello again, everybody at ringside. I'm Michael Cole for "Friday Night SmackDown". Of course, Wade Barrett from "Monday Night RAW". We kick things off with the Undisputed WWE championship. No champion's advantage again for Cody Rhodes. Let's head up to our ring announcer, the legendary Lilian Garcia.

(bell rings) The following contest is scheduled for one fall and it is for the Undisputed WWE Championship. Now in this match, if the champion gets counted out or disqualified, he will lose the championship. Introducing first, the challenger from Ayr, Scotland weighing in at 285 pounds, Drew. You're to announce me as The Real American Dream Drew McIntyre, Don't think about it, just do your job. The real American dream.

Ladies and gentlemen, The Real American Dream Drew McIntyre. And his opponent from Atlanta, Georgia weighing in at 222 pounds, he is the Undisputed WWE champion, The American Nightmare Cody Rhodes. Well, this American dream nonsense with Drew McIntyre actually started last night on "Friday Night SmackDown". Again, trying to get into the head of Cody Rhodes. Of course, Cody's father, the late great Dusty Rhodes known as The American Dream.

It's got nothing to do with Dusty Rhodes, the American Dream. Drew is a real American Dream, a no-name immigrant who moved to this country and climbed from the bottom rung of the ladder all the way to the top to become the champion of the world. (flames roaring) The official in this matchup tonight, Dan Engler. A lot of pressure on his shoulders because of the stipulation that does not give Cody an advantage tonight. We're underway and Cody Rhodes went quickly after Drew McIntyre. McIntyre's made this personal. He's made it emotional. He's got under Cody's skin, not only in reference to Cody's dad, but Cody's family last night as well.

Well, Cody fights emotionally in this one. He runs the risk of making some major errors and major errors when you don't have the champion's advantage can cost you massively. And he takes down McIntyre. Rhodes got put through a table just 24 hours ago on "Friday Night SmackDown" and now Cody unloading on Drew McIntyre. It's interesting that Drew went the Dusty Rhodes route as well. Dusty in the news this week, the 40th anniversary of Dusty's very famous "Hard Times" interview, which really cemented Dusty as a global star. And there's the big chop now by McIntyre to Cody who fights back as well.

(hands slapping) Drew McIntyre was actually one of Dusty's famous kids in the developmental system in Florida Championship. Wrestling side note, Dusty Rhodes once told me that, Cody Rhodes was actually a deadbeat son and he'd rather have Drew McIntyre- Come on, you completely- Child of his own. You completely made that up. All right, fair enough. I did make that up. And Cody Rhodes now dumping McIntyre outside the ring and the official will begin to count.

Now McIntyre begging Cody to come out after him and you know why he's doing that. Get yourself a quick count in this one. McIntyre will win the gold and it looks. And Cody thinking twice about this. And again, lot going on in the champ's mind. Yeah, he has to be very cautious. And you can see right from the start of this one, there's an almost tense nature to Cody.

I feel like Cody realizes he's backed himself into a corner in this match. And does that force the champion perhaps tonight, Wade, to overthink things in this match? Maybe get out of sync, not do the things naturally that he would normally do. Absolutely. Look at the scowl on the face of Cody Rhodes. He's already ranting and raving at the challenger. Comparatively, McIntyre looks rather comfortable at this point. He has the champ rattled.

Oh, he's in the driver's seat. He forced Cody's hand, got him to agree to the stipulation. And it was the right thing for McIntyre to do. Cody proved a couple of weeks ago he's more than happy to get himself intentionally disqualified against Drew. Uh-oh. He touches you, it's a disqualification. That was not, no. McIntyre telling the official, if he touches you, you can disqualify it. That's a fair point. A collision there, arguably it could have been a disqualification albeit with Drew McIntyre propelling Cody at the rafter.

And to your, your point moments ago a couple of weeks ago there, that impromptu matchup on "Friday Night SmackDown" between Rhodes and McIntyre. And Rhodes so upset over the fact that he believes McIntyre attacked Jacob Fatu. Where's your temper? Where's your temper that you've done the past few weeks? Get disqualified. Cody. Come on. And McIntyre again, trying to just bait Rhodes into doing something that'll break the rules. We'll talk about breaking the rules. How many times have people broken the rules against McIntyre in the last couple of years when championships have been on the line?

Time and again. Wade, you're a five time Intercontinental Champion. You understand that comes with the territory, correct? Look at the man who later on tonight battles for the world title CM Punk. Nobody's had it worse off than he has over the past couple of years. That's nonsense. Drew McIntyre has had it worse than CM Punk. Everything that's happened to CM Punk has all been above board and legal for the most part, including the famous Money in the Bank cash in at "SummerSlam".

Now the closed fist by McIntyre dropping the champion. And Drew now, look at McIntyre. Wait a minute, ref. McIntyre was just biting Cody Rhodes. He had shielded the official, so Engler did not see that. This referee is no dummy. He knows full well something was going on, but with it being a championship match, maybe a little leniency there. You know, we talked a lot about the Cody Rhodes and the state he's in here tonight. How about McIntyre? I believe McIntyre's desperate at this point in time.

Doing anything he can to try to win the World Title, The WWE Title. Well, as he should be when gold's on the line, you should be- Oh, wait a minute. Yes, wait, the referee. And Cody now. No, that's a shove on the referee. After a long five count. Wade, I want to defend the official Dan Engler here. I believe that was inadvertent by Cody and now Drew takes advantage. Inadvertently struck the official there and the official understands the emotions that are at stake.

Everybody's on edge. Everyone's off their game and he's going to let a little thing like that get by. All right, a little shove on the referee perhaps. Had that been- Oh. Nice by McIntyre. Had that been McIntyre shoving the referee, I would argue given the referee's form in recent months, he would have been disqualified. Yeah, but I have to give WWE officials credit as Rhodes has driven into the barricade. The official Ryan Tran, who has been at fault in many people's minds in these matches over the past couple of months not working this match tonight.

Now McIntyre, he's asking for a count out on Cody so he can win the championship. This is getting hot here. Cody better high tail it back in the ring. Just breaking the count at eight. You saw the frustration on McIntyre's face. Looking for a count out win to win the championship for what would be a fourth time as a world champ. Three time as WWE. And here's McIntyre now unloading on Rhodes and he's got to be careful as well not to get disqualified.

Would argue that McIntyre in the early runnings of this one has the mental edge over Cody Rhodes. He's constantly been goading and baiting Cody and Cody has fallen for it on several occasions. Cody looks rattled and almost always in McIntyre matches of course he has a major physical advantage. Great throw by McIntyre. He's making that advantage count now. 285 pounder into the cover hooks the leg and the champ kicks out at one. (screen whooshing) Take another look at this.

Raw power from the 285 pound Scotsman, (screen whooshing) but maybe closing in on his fourth World Championship here. McIntyre with one win in his career on "Saturday Night's Main Event". Cody Rhodes undefeated at this spectacle. Will that streak continue tonight? McIntyre quickly. Cover again on the champ. One, two. Cody forced to kick a two this time. (hands thuds) Frustration perhaps now for McIntyre, although McIntyre has a strong hand in this matchup and that is what they're playing for all the marbles, the WWE championship.

It looks like it's slowly slipping away from QB1. You know, I mentioned the interview that McIntyre conducted. He said in that interview, "That the world needs Drew McIntyre." We don't need the fake smile of the current WWE champion. WWE fans in Drew's mind need the harsh, brutal truth, the reality of life. Look, and I'll tell you right now, I'm friends with both of these guys, but there are elements of truth to what McIntyre is saying.

Wow. Cody has been given advantages at times by management that Drew was never covered. By McIntyre off the big back body drop again forcing the champion to kick out. Now this is one thing Drew's got to be careful of. Wade is getting frustrated. Yeah, look at that height. Cody Rhodes gets thrown up in the air with this backdrop landing hard. It was almost a double landing for Cody smashing the base of his spine and the back of his head. And that frustration you talked about for McIntyre just evaporated as he now takes stock of who's really in the driver's seat of this match.

Again, Cody has been a step off in this matchup. McIntyre really has Cody off his game. (feet thud) This has just been a walk in the park for McIntyre the last couple of minutes. But do not walk in the park against an opponent the caliber of Cody Rhodes. Yeah, Cody back to his feet and does not allow McIntyre to make it to the top rope. Cody going to go up after him. Got to remember even Cody Rhodes on an off night, a step off the pace is almost certainly going to bring you the kind of fight you are simply not able to withstand. He's proven that time and time again over the past several years. Rhodes are hooking McIntyre here from high above the ring.

Superplex. (bodies thud) Well, let me tell you, 285 pounds being superplexed from the top rope is absolutely devastating no matter how durable your frame is. I think this is a very critical point in this matchup for the champion Cody Rhodes. An opportunity to catch a breath, fight back into this match. Well, big matches like this always change on big moments and that was a huge moment for Cody to try and somehow get a stranglehold of this match that has been escaping him from the word go.

Big WWE weekend here in Salt Lake City. We kicked things off tonight on "Saturday Night's Main Event" with our Undisputed WWE Championship match. And you don't want to get in a slug fest with McIntyre, but McIntyre's back is hurting. Taking some of the sting out of those big slugs from a Scotsman. (fist thuds) (Cody grunts) (fist thudding) And McIntyre and Rhodes now unloading on each other. There's a dog fight and somehow Cody's getting the better of Drew or is he? There's the quickness of Rhodes. McIntyre stunt momentarily.

Rhodes up over the top. And there's a powerslam by Cody. Now it's Cody finally working on his instincts, taking the training wheels off. Yeah, don't think, just move. That adrenaline bump in the fear has left his body. Now it's fight time. Cody off the second rope. And there it is the Disaster Kick. Drops McIntyre. But Cody not able to, thought he might go for a cover there, but instead I think he understood he wasn't going to put Drew away there and- Yeah, very often you will take a cover, but not against an opponent the caliber of Drew McIntyre.

You know full well it's going to take a little more to put him down. And Cody went for the Cody Cutter and McIntyre in trouble. Cody cover. One, two. McIntyre kicks it two. McIntyre try his best to power out and reverse that. What a unique landing it was. Added a little spin and momentum into this one. Ultimately, same result. But McIntyre just with enough left with a late, late kick out, but Drew is wobbled.

Yeah, a little extra mustard on that Cody Cutter by the champion. McIntyre back to his feet and now Cody Rhodes, speaking of the American Dream, unloading on McIntyre with the jabs. Ooh! Little Bionic Elbow time. (Cody yells) McIntyre, just like that with a spinebuster into a jackknife cover. Trying to win the title and a kick out of two. And immediately back up and on the offense. Wow. To that powerbomb. One, two. And another near fall for the number on contender. And that is a huge part of what makes McIntyre so devastating.

He's obviously big. He's obviously strong, but it's that rapid movement that guys his size simply are incapable of matching. Just puts Drew on a whole different tier when it comes to the true heavyweights in this game. There is no wasted movement when it comes to McIntyre. Everything's thought through. What an absolute veteran of the game who simply expenses life trying to get better and what is he cooking up here?

McIntyre looking for the World Championship. Wait a second. The WWE title dragged into the ring by McIntyre. Disqualification. And Cody now, Cody can't use it. Cody don't use it. Oh, Cody Rhodes runs into the kick by McIntyre. The Claymore. Off the distraction. One, two. That's sudden Claymore- Oh. By McIntyre. That one step Claymore by McIntyre almost won in the championship.

Well, it was all mind games by McIntyre baiting Cody in. He knew Cody was not going to fall for that, but that distraction opened the window for this flash Claymore. The guard is dropped for a second and I would argue a flash Claymore simply didn't have the same impact as the standard run up version. (screen whooshes) It's the only reason Cody is still champ, but he's a sitting duck now, Cole. Yeah, there was no momentum behind that one step Claymore by McIntyre that allowed Cody to kick out. But Cody's in deep, deep trouble just a few feet away

from us and Cody's got to be concerned now, of course, about a count out. And McIntyre realizes he's got the champ on the ropes and is going to go on the attack. Cody assaulted- Look at this. Wait up. This is what McIntyre did to Rhodes a few months ago. Cost him a month of his career. Oh! Cody Rhodes though able to counter. Well, Cody had to be nimble there. He was back on the shelf if not. And we would have had a new champion.

Thankfully the referee didn't intervene on this one like the last match. And now Cody sent out to the apron. And McIntyre driving Coney through the table. Coney went through the damn table. Oh my God, there's a count on now, Cole. Cody, come on, they're counting. There at two. Come on Cody, come on. Three, four. The official's at four. Cody, come on. Five, six. We're gonna get a new champ. That's six.

Cody trying to make his way through the rumble. Eight. The count of eight. Cody drags himself into the ring to beat the count just barely. Rhodes barely beat the count. Well, McIntyre is absolutely devastated upon impact there. Immediately grabbing the referee. Referee wasting no time in starting that count. Wade, one more second and we would've had a brand new Undisputed WWE champion. That is a limb breaking move. That is a rib breaking move and Cody Rhodes had to bounce up in under 10 seconds.

But out of the frying pan and into the fire. Watch out now. This is not going to flash Claymore. It's gonna be a real Claymore. Cody ducks out of harm's way. Well, completely instinctive from Cody there who has absolutely been put through the ringer in the last couple of minutes of this match. Perhaps saving the championship for him here. Yeah, Cody trying to dig down deep. McIntyre going for the Future Shock and misses wildly.

Cody- Referee again. Almost ran through this official. Again almost disqualified. Cody, Cody just, what happened? Cody's knee buckled as he, as he tried to climb up the ropes there. Well, he had to dodge out of the way of the referee and he could have tweaked something in the process. That could be a knee injury, could be an ankle injury. Now this is all fair game. The referee's getting involved here. If I was McIntyre, I'd want to be all over Cody. Well, he's just being a human being and he's making sure Cody's okay here.

Well, who cares when gold's on the line? (screen whooshes) Let's see this again. Watch this. Cody Rhodes running into the corner, presumably for a Disaster Kick. Referee in the way. Cody though- About to dodge it. What is going on? And now up to the top rope. Super Cutter by Cody Rhodes. Cover now. One, two. McIntyre still in it. Oh, I got huge questions about what just played out. Cody's back with a hurt knee here.

(screen whooshes) He tried a Hail Mary. This is the one he actually connects with. He tried a couple of seconds earlier and injured that knee in the process. One, two. McIntyre with a late leg kick out, but the question for me now is what condition is the knee of the champ Cody Rhodes in? Well, Cody running on pure adrenaline there. Almost a desperation move that Super Cutter, Wade. Cody realized that he's in trouble, wanting to put Drew away quickly.

Yeah, that's why you want to drop the big bomb. You know you've been injured. You know, but your leg is rattled. The longer this go on at this point, the more it benefits McIntyre. Now Cody measuring his man, setting up Drew for the crossroads. Drew caught him and a kick to the face. Nice reaction kick there from Drew, but no. Cody's just too quick now. And now McIntyre. Oh! Cody's sent into the corner into the official. McIntyre used his own momentum to shove Cody into the official.

Well, McIntyre didn't see the official there either to be fair. He was blindsided. The official ain't seeing anything now. And there's a Glasgow Kiss by McIntyre. Our official Dan Engler is down. Well, Dan Engler got crushed in the corner. And McIntyre is now realizing he has the upper hand, but with the referee down. Well, McIntyre again bringing the WWE championship into the ring like he did earlier in this matchup. But now the official's down.

Has no idea what's going on here. McIntyre going to use the title as a weapon. Well, it's a trick that's been played out against McIntyre many times. And McIntyre missed wildly. Cody Rhodes now. (Cody and Drew groan) (bodies thud) Oh, and a collision in the center of the ring. Both men's bodies bruised and battered in this one. Doesn't take much to knock the stuffing out of a competitor when you're in deep waters like this. Somebody may want to check on her official, Dan Engler who's barely moved since he was crushed in the corner by McIntyre and Rhodes.

Let me tell you this. If Ryan Tran runs down to the ring now, McIntyre is going to lose his mind. The referee who cost McIntyre the last time gold was on the line. And now there's a boat men crawling for the weapon, the championship. McIntyre has it first. Cody Rhodes now. And a DDT onto the title by Rhodes. Well, that's illegal. Well, hold on a second. And the referee didn't see any of that. Well, I mean, you're right. Cody could have been disqualified, but it was McIntyre, Wade, who brought the title into the ring in the first place.

McIntyre didn't use the title. And now the official's come to. Now the official has come to. And Cody Rhodes with a crossroads to McIntyre. No way. Into the cover. One, two, three. Cody survives. (bell rings) (heavy metal music) Here is your winner and still the Undisputed WWE champion, The American Nightmare Cody Rhodes! Cody Rhodes retains the Undisputed WWE Championship. ♪ Do it all to get them off their feet ♪ Now once again, I am going to argue, Cole, that McIntyre simply did not get a fair shake of things here.

He was DDTed onto a championship title by Cody Rhodes, who to be clear, checked that the referee wasn't looking before he did it. Hey, listen, at the end of the day, Cody's still the champ. Tweaked his knee as he tried to avoid the official there. Yeah, highly controversial moment where the tide turned in this one closely followed up by this Cody Cutter, a desperation one from Cody, but McIntyre was equal to it. And then it was McIntyre shoving Cody in the official. The official was knocked out. Now McIntyre would realize that Dan Engler was down and out. So we once again introduced the WWE championship into this matchup.

McIntyre did not hit Cody with the championship. But he introduced the title. But that in itself is not a disqualification. Here's where it gets really murky. Cody checking the referee isn't looking and then DDT and McIntyre on the title. Referee comes around while Cody Cutter later to an already beat to Drew McIntyre. One, two, three, defense. And it should have been a disqualification on Cody Rhodes. It wasn't very clear to me that Cody even knew the title was there.

He just turned around and delivered a DDT- Ah. To Drew McIntyre. Wrong place, wrong time. Hey, argue however you want. It doesn't matter. The American Nightmare Cody Rhodes has taken out Drew McIntyre to retain the championship. ♪ Change the game, a banner made of pain ♪ ♪ I built my kingdom ♪ ♪ Now you bow ♪