5 Reasons Why Drew McIntyre Should Dethrone Cody Rhodes For the Undisputed WWE Championship At Wrestlepalooza

WWE Champion Cody Rhodes announced on the most recent episode of SmackDown that he’ll be battling “The Scottish Warrior” Drew McIntyre at Wrestlepalooza. It was later confirmed that this bout would be for The American Nightmare’s Undisputed Title.

McIntyre is a three-time World Champion under the WWE umbrella, first capturing the company’s ultimate prize in the main event of WrestleMania 36 with a win over “The Beast” Brock Lesnar. McIntyre is a two-time WWE Champion as well as a former World Heavyweight Champion, the latter of which he won at WrestleMania 40, only holding onto the title for a few minutes before Damian Priest cashed in his Money In The Bank briefcase to capitalize on a wounded Scotsman.

It may be time for World Wrestling Entertainment to once again reward the Scottish-born talent with a major title win. Without further ado, let’s look at five reasons why McIntyre should be the one to defeat Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship at 2025’s Wrestlepalooza!

#5. Drew McIntyre Is One of WWE’s Most Well-Rounded Wrestlers

The Scottish Warrior can seemingly do it all, whether it’s talking on the microphone or getting business done in the wrestling ring. McIntyre also maintains a He-Man-esque physique, perfectly living up to his ‘warrior’ moniker and legitimately appearing physically imposing. Billed at a height of 6’5″ and weighing 275 pounds, he is a monster of a man who would be a powerful force in any era of professional wrestling.

When it comes to the trifecta of looks, promo skills, and in-ring ability, there might not be anyone on the WWE roster who can top McIntyre. If he’s not the most well-rounded superstar on the roster, he’s certainly close to the top. McIntyre presents himself as a world beater worthy of championship gold, and WWE should reward him accordingly.

#4. Start WWE’s PLE Relationship With ESPN With a Bang

Wrestlepalooza will feature WWE’s PLE debut on ESPN’s streaming service, so why not start this relationship with a bang? World Wrestling Entertainment has loaded the card with stars such as Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena, as well as a mixed tag team showdown featuring Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins facing off against an iconic babyface couple in the form of CM Punk and a returning AJ Lee.

One major way to make an impact during WWE’s ESPN PLE debut would be to book a major title change, and the Undisputed WWE Championship is arguably the most important title that is scheduled to be on the line at Wrestlepalooza. McIntyre is a superstar that WWE should trust in a top role, and his crowning achievement this Saturday should play out as a statement of exciting things to come for WWE’s newfound partnership with ESPN.

#3. Shake Up the Product

While the upcoming Wrestlepalooza is being advertised as a major event, it still appears to be a B-level PLE compared to events like WrestleMania, SummerSlam, and Royal Rumble. When it comes to the title currently held by Cody Rhodes, it has very scarcely changed hands since Roman Reigns made his historic run undisputed in 2022.

Following the reign of the Tribal Chief, the Undisputed Championship has only changed hands between Cody Rhodes and John Cena, with those title changes exclusively occurring at top-level PLEs like WrestleMania and SummerSlam. A major title change at Wrestlepalooza could signify the event’s significance from its outset, making it stand out as distinct from a typical B-level premium live event.

Considering that WWE has gone with relatively lengthy reigns for the Undisputed Title in recent years, it’d be a surprising turn of events for Cody Rhodes to drop the gold against the first challenger of his second reign. Instead of going with yet another lengthy title reign for The American Nightmare in the main event, WWE could pivot to the rise of The Scottish Warrior once again. Less than two months after defeating John Cena, Cody could potentially lose the belt to Drew and then spend the upcoming months looking to win it back before WrestleMania returns to Nevada.

#2. Keeps the Product Fresh

Rhodes’ first reign as Undisputed Champion lasted 378 days, and long title reigns could sometimes have the unintended effect of turning the product stale. WWE could keep its shows feeling fresh and new by pivoting to another top-level star who hasn’t been given a lengthy title reign since the Thunderdome Era. Similarly, The American Nightmare could keep his babyface run fresh by suddenly losing his spot and working to regain his gold while remaining at or near the top of the card.

If the company is looking to refresh its blue brand, it should look no further than Drew McIntyre. WWE needs to build its main event scene on SmackDown, and it’s hard to do that when only a few stars are allowed to break through to the Undisputed Championship in recent years. It’s time for Drew to break through to the next level, once more capturing WWE’s top prize, but this time in front of thousands of fans in attendance.

#1. Drew Has Earned This

Without a doubt, McIntyre once more deserves his time in the sun. He carried WWE on his back during uncertain times in 2020, having an incredible run at the top when the company was forced to produce shows without a live audience in attendance. In the years since then, McIntyre has only continued to improve, transforming himself into a fierce villain who pushes his opponents to their limits.

The Scottish Warrior was there to carry WWE during the first half of 2020 when Roman Reigns stepped away from the spotlight. In 2025, Drew is a wrestler who is guaranteed to entertain, regardless of his position on the card. He’s a performer who’s certain to overdeliver, whether that’s on the microphone, in the ring, or in front of a worldwide audience like at WrestleMania and predictably this Saturday at Wrestlepalooza.