Drew McIntyre has taken credit for making SmackDown a more engaging show by winning the Undisputed WWE Championship from Cody Rhodes.
On the January 9th episode of SmackDown, Drew McIntyre challenged Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship in a ‘3 Stages of Hell’ match. While most expected Rhodes to walk out with the gold, the Scottish Warrior got the shock win after interference from a returning Jacob Fatu.
Looking back on the win while speaking to Chris Van Vliet on Insight, McIntyre said the surprise title change helped The American Nightmare regain something he desperately needed.
“Awesome. Nobody saw it coming, for one. I think everybody assumed that the Cody Express would keep moving on forward. He’s been in that position for a long time. After he finished the story, he was on fire.
“I’m not saying he wasn’t doing a great job. He’s a great champion, he’s a great performer, but it was a lot of the same. I think there needed to be a shake-up, and there was a shake-up that no one saw coming when I won in Berlin. I could hear the crowd, I could hear the response, I could see the response, and it put Cody in a position where he had to chase. Gave Cody a bit of that edge back, which he, in my opinion, desperately needed.”
As well as helping Cody, it helped McIntyre himself, as multiple title losses in recent months had left him lacking some legitimacy.
“For me, it gave me some of that legitimacy. Oh yeah, Drew can win the big one, and not going to be so sympathetic that we need to start cheering for this guy because you feel so bad for him. Where I could be more of a, if I got the title and people challenge me to fight, what would I gain? No, I’m Gollum from Lord of the Rings. This is my precious. I’m not letting this go, no matter what.”
McIntyre said it was also important for SmackDown itself, as it gave opportunities for a lot of feuds against stars who “hate him for some reason.”
“I know it made SmackDown way more compelling at the time, especially since so many people hate me for some reason. You’ve got the champion right in the middle with the target on him. It’s not just, ‘we want the title.’ It’s because you’re an arsehole, they’re all coming for you.”
Drew McIntyre ultimately lost the championship back to Cody Rhodes two months later on the March 6th edition of SmackDown, and is now heading for an Unsanctioned Match against Jacob Fatu at WrestleMania 42.
Drew McIntyre Not Planning On Slowing Down
During the same interview, Drew McIntyre addressed his WWE future. Although he turned 40 in 2025, McIntyre said he doesn’t plan to slow down. He compared himself to the likes of LeBron James and Cristiano Ronaldo, who he sees as proof that athletes his age can still perform at the top of their game.
