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Cody Rhodes vs. Drew McIntyre

Match

Match Data
8.11
Current Total Rating (?)
Valid votes: 410
Number of comments: 103
10.0 56x
9.0 113x
8.0 121x
7.0 84x
6.0 23x
5.0 8x
4.0 3x
3.0 2x
2.0 0x
1.0 0x
0.0 0x
Average rating: 8.12  [410]
Average rating in 2026: 8.12  [410]
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ProbablyHunter wrote on 16.09.2026:
[4.0] "Turns out I never rated this when I watched but I still remember what I disliked very clearly. They did everything to make Drew look as weak as possible in defeat. He wins the first fall off a low blow which was fine in theory, then loses a solid second fall. Then in the third fall this nosedives, I already dislike WWE cage matches because of the rules but the finish here is still one of the worst of the year. It makes Fatu look like an idiot and Drew look like a chump despite winning the most important belt in the company"
XFacundo wrote on 08.09.2026:
[6.0] "This was around the time where I was kind of just bored with McIntyre. I could not find myself enjoying this match until the end, where we actually got a new champ, which was a good surprise, but again, McIntyre was already someone who I had lost interest in, so him then finally being given the belt gave me mixed feelings. [***]"
Notorious27 wrote on 07.09.2026:
[8.0] "A solid main event where they didn't drag anything just to kill time and went right into business. This match was both violent and unpredictable with some great spots and unique counters and moves ending with a finish that hardly anyone saw coming. Each stage was better than the one before and they did a really good job of keeping you invested during the match. 4.5*"
Judestar wrote on 13.07.2026:
[8.0] "This is a really good match with bad billing since nothing about it warrants being called "3 Stages of Hell". The first two stages of these always perfunctory so I appreciated Drew ending the first early. It definitely finds its stride in the 3rd stage with both guys trading their biggest moves and some great spots from the top of the cage. I could understand being let down by the finish but I found it hilarious, most shithouse way to win a world title and it fits Drew's character."
Wrestlingfan0808 wrote on 09.06.2026:
[8.0] "So the stage was set. The blow off match for a feud that has been quite underwhelming when you factor in the type of work both these men are capable of doing, but they did a good job building this match since there was more time as opposed to Wrestlepalooza and SNME. Despite being able to pick the stipulation for the last match (where his plan failed), Drew was able to do the same thing again but this time he chooses 3 stages of hell. Regular singles match, falls count anywhere, and a steel cage where the stipulations for each fall. Drew was at crossroads here (no pun intended), where all the things he would say he was going to do didn't come to fruition, which made him more desperate to finally win the WWE title once again, just look at the SNME match for instance, if Cody got disqualified, he loses the belt. Then before this match if Cody laid his hands on Drew he would of gotten stripped of the title, and as we got closer and closer to the match, Drew would try to get Cody to break so he could win the title the easy way. Making a compelling case as to why things didn't turn out on his favour (even tho it was his own undoing), he smartly chose to do this match in Berlin, cause of the times things didn't go his way in America, especially with how this was framed too, look at the video package for the match, they made Drew look like the good guy here. Not to mention, the last time he wrestled in Berlin he lost. Now the match, Cody wastes no time getting the jump on Drew when the bell rings, immediately hitting him with an array of offence. Drew tried to bait Cody once again but he wasn't having it, the first attempt at his plan failed once again. I appreciate how Drew was stooging here in the early going. Cody's intensity was on full display. Drew was getting dominated but that was part of the first part of the plan when he would find an opening after he ripped the turnbuckle pad when Cody was attempting to hit him with another suplex, ref got distracted, Drew hits Cody with a lowblow and follows it up with a Claymore to win up the first stage. Drew now another win away from finally winning the title again, picks up the urgency even more when he put Cody through a table with a powerbomb but Cody would kick out. They would continue to fight all over the arena, backstage even, as they land repeated blows one another, using the environment to their advantage. Cody would then hit Drew with the funniest looking splash (I say this affectionately), for a nearfall, with holy shit chants breaking out. The action is then brought back to ringside with Drew attempting to Claymore Cody's head through the bottom of the announce table just until Cody countered, and nails Drew with a Cross Rhodes to even the falls at 1-1. Both men sell the toll of the match really nicely as the cage is lowering after Cody brings Drew back in the ring. Drew cowardly tries to escape out of the cage knowing he's one win away from immortality, and from there, both men would just trade bombs the rest of way. Using the cage as a weapon, high impact moves, big spots, the desperation and urgency to win the match was on full display. Both guys had to dig deep if they were gonna come out the winner. Biting, eye raking, all for the biggest prize in the game, just doing things out of spite without any fear of the repercussions. Then the unthinkable happens, Jacob Fatu shows up as Drew attempted to win the match by escaping through the cage door, and jumps him, since Drew is the presumed attacker of what happened to him in October but we don't know for sure yet, Cody sees this cause this isn't what he wanted and then Jacob and Cody start going at it, and this is where Drew's plan finally came to fruition, just like how he beat Cody in the first fall, he uses the Jacob distraction to his advantage to win the match. Now Drew is a 4 time world champion. 3 time WWE champion. All the pain and suffering he endured over the last couple of years, all the failed attempts, misfires, it all worked in his favor. While some people may not of liked the finish, but I thought it made sense, especially if you remember how Drew beat Cody when they wrestled for the first time in the WWE back in February of 2024, how Drew lost to Roman at Clash at the Castle, both matches involved a bloodline member getting involved. The fact that Drew was ok with how he beat Cody in 2024, and now in 2026, perfectly illustrates how far off the deep end the Drew character has fallen, because of everything he's been through. Get yours now and worry about what happens later, he became WWE champion once again because of that mindset. I have no qualms with how this played out, even tho I didn't like how Drew would use Twitter talking points in his promo materials during this feud. It could of and should of been better tho. ****"
Mambazzik wrote on 07.06.2026:
[9.0] "Upon first viewing, I really liked the match, except for the first stage. Upon rewatching, my opinion remained the same. Rhodes lost after a single finisher, whereas Drew was very much alive in this match even after two of Rhodes' finishers. This seemed highly illogical, considering that Rhodes has kicked out of worse. Despite this, I have no issues with the other two stages. There was a very unexpected result at the end, which added points. Still, I will deduct one point because I did not like the first stage."
GriffinQuest64 wrote on 20.05.2026:
[6.0] "Felt much the same as most Drew VS Cody matches do despite the stipulation. Selling was weak. Accumulation of damage not very present. The overall moves were done well and the crowd was reacting, but it just didn't match the stipulation. Drew winning was fine and it follows that a heel wins in a cheap fashion. But, Jacob coming in at that moment feels incred Forced. Same as attacking Cody to give Drew the chance to win. It didn't feel clever it felt scripted. Just because it is doesn't mean it should feel that way."
NewToAllOfThis wrote on 17.04.2026:
[9.0] "Honestly, an epic match that went the way I wanted it to go. Drew deserves this win, and he's truly earned that title. All three stages told a fantastic story, and they upped the stakes each time. We all know that it's going to go 1:1, but this match made me believe that either guy could win in that second stage. Then the moments and the back-and-forths in the steel cage were just incredible. I hope Drew gets cheered as he did in Berlin throughout the rest of the tour, and makes WWE panic when they realise that Europe and the UK love Drew more than they like Cody. The only reason it's not higher is that I think Drew should've won clean. I love Jacob, and I'm happy for him to be there, but his angle should've been post-match, not the reason Drew won. ****3/4"
JaceyD223223 wrote on 12.04.2026:
[9.0] "In my opinion this is the 2nd best WWE match of 2026 only behind Styles vs Nakamura. Cody and Drew have zero in ring chemistry in non stipulation matches but once they added a stipulation this became a great watch. This was like 3 matches in one and I really enjoyed all the spots and the fact Drew got to win a world title. This isn't really something I will be going back to in years from now but I really enjoyed this and they definitely took full advantage of the 30 minutes they had."
SiticEye wrote on 28.03.2026:
[5.0] "Finisher spam slop with no intensity and a fucking cage door world championship victory. This match was made to spite me. I didn't hate the Fatu stuff though and I didnt really hateee this the pacing was solid at least. Not a thirty minute slog. **3/4"
screwokada wrote on 23.03.2026:
[6.0] "Running an interference spot like this thirty minutes into a three stages of hell match is so dumb and really devalues the work done over the course of the first two falls which were pretty good. Disappointing, 3 stars"
sobredosis wrote on 07.03.2026:
[7.0] "Despite the redundancy of the matchup, it's always a pleasure to see Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre in the same ring. It's a pairing that works well, partly because there is a long history between them that will eventually need a proper conclusion, but also because their chemistry ensures a solid performance between the ropes. The addition of the stipulation brought an extra level of challenge to the match, which was necessary given the stakes. The three phases of the match unfold well, with the Falls Count Anywhere portion being the most compelling part of the encounter. That said, I was expecting something better. At times, it lacked action, which made parts of the match feel a bit dull. I also would have preferred to see Drew McIntyre win the match clean."
RTruthSaidWhatsUp wrote on 23.02.2026:
[9.0] "[8, 50/10, 0] The match is very good. It's a main event-style match; it builds up to a good start, with strong spots, a slow burn, and a very well-told story."
Vinny Santos wrote on 22.02.2026:
[7.0] "Well, I enjoyed the most part of this match, but I've always hated the concept of "escape the cage to win"... feels like you're running away, but still winning for that. Also, Fatu beating Cody while Drew escaped the cage make him look like a coward... He's 6'5", 266 lbs, crawling away from the champion... Well, I might have hated the ending, but overall, it was a really good match. (***3/4)."
Cavazos01 wrote on 15.02.2026:
[7.0] "****1/2 Great match, great chemistry. After so many encounters, they finally put on a great fight together. Amazing sequences, great intensity. From the start, they were tough, and the spots were creative. Very good pacing. Perhaps they should have cut a couple of minutes from the last fall or simply maintained the pace of the first two, as it felt slower in the last one. But the fact that it lasted much longer than the first two made the match slightly heavier. Drew's kick-outs on the second Cross Rhodes and Cody's on the second Claymore were great. Very good ending. Jacob returns and prevents Drew from winning, but when Cody tries to confront Jacob, the latter attacks him, clearing the way for Drew to escape the cage and finally win the title"
AlbertSnow wrote on 13.02.2026:
"[8.0] The outcome of the match worked for me, but it took forever to get there. Drew would never have gotten the first win if it weren't already stipulated to have a minimum of two levels of hell to go through. Opening "match" and the cage match bored me for the most part, but the Falls Count Anywhere bout was entertaining. Worth a watch."
Redisonsashuisosi wrote on 08.02.2026:
[10.0] "I was so happy when I watched this masterpiece live! THIS IS LEGENDARY. The victory of my favorite champion to the cheers of the hot European crowd! Finally, I got to see Drew McIntyre's championship triumph! I'm a huge fan of his title run in 2020. I've really missed those epic championship pushes. Finally, we don't have Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes as champions, but a Champion of the People! The match itself was genius, and Drew's victory once again looked like an absolute, universe-level win. The scale of the event is incomparable -- when a wrestler becomes champion in an era where only three super-titled wrestlers with reigns of at least a year can hold the belt. And on SmackDown, no less. The ending was legendary. Drew is My Champ! 5 stars!"
PizzaOSpicy wrote on 08.02.2026:
[8.0] "Overall as a full package this is a solid match, wasn't a huge fan of how the first stage ended a bit too soon, but they more than made up for it in the 2nd stage. Jacob Fatu possibly unintentionally costing the WWE Championship was a shocking outcome but nonetheless a deserving one for Drew McIntyre."
Sweet Fighter V wrote on 04.02.2026:
[8.0] "Finally a truly good match between these two! The first stage is alright and the finish is a clever way to end it prematurely while adding some more heat. The Falls Count Anywhere stage is pretty fun, but that Steel Cage stage is something else. Drew receiving love from the German crowd is awesome, and him finally winning the title is so damn satisfying. On a side note, Cody has got to be the most overly protected wrestler I have ever seen. I kinda dig the finish, but how does a beast like Drew defeating Cody clean hurts Cody? I mean, he's half his size and Drew deserves everything. But hey, at least we finally get Drew as world champion again, and for such a big time moment to happen on SmackDown, we can only be grateful. ***3/4"
Aliiadwana wrote on 30.01.2026:
[5.0] "[2.5*] It was fine, not bad and not really good, I liked the second fall it was entertaining actually, the other two fall were fine, an interesting ending for the third fall; Da cinema basically! lol."
sweetshinmusic wrote on 29.01.2026:
[6.0] "These two worked hard and did about as much as they could reasonably do with the limitations I imagine were imposed upon them with regards to doing anything too violent. International crowds always go crazy for a title switch and this was no exception. Although it did feel lacking in the sense that the finish was a complete anti-climax after they'd gone at it for the best part of 30 minutes. A world title match with the distraction finish, and to boot one that comes in a match with a cage stipulation, just feels like lazy booking. The feud between these two has never really had the sufficient spark it needed to remain compelling for the months it has stretched across. Somehow, all of this just feels very perfunctory and unimportant."
PrimoJr212 wrote on 24.01.2026:
[6.0] "Modern wwe matchs, all over the place with lack of creativity for a world title match and a weird finish, the first half told you Drew was winning and the rest was boring until the last minutes with the kickout but its just another wwe main event and of course someone in a hoodie make a run in"
DeadPinky wrote on 23.01.2026:
[8.0] "Great way to kick off Smackdowns return to 3 hours. The ending was a bit slow/unengaging at times, and the feud at this point has been stale for months, and the ending wasn't really that great of a way to put Drew over; despite all of that, this was an incredibly fun watch that by the end had me popping to see drew take the title. The crowd was into this match cheering on drew and hating Cody. I hope this isn't a two week transitional reign for all that's good, but for the first time in forever it truly feels like something happened on an episode of Smackdown."
PsyducksGambit wrote on 22.01.2026:
[9.0] "This was a great match and I'm very surprised that Drew actually won the title as I was 95% sure that Cody was winning again. Interested to see what happens from here then. Also means Cody is probably in the Royal Rumble now then."
soba wrote on 22.01.2026:
[5.0] "The match is fine, it's just quite lifeless. The match feels like a normal match not a match to end the feud. A pretty bad feud, it feels like both Drew and Cody came out worse than when the feud started. They both feel quite uninteresting currently. Still glad Drew won the world title and I hope something actually comes from it. Also the match ending from Drew escaping through the door is bad, funny, but still pretty bad. 2.75/5."
SpectorLKM wrote on 20.01.2026:
[7.0] "What a strange match this is. The first fall for all things is god awful but the rest of the match is good fun that makes up for that. Nothing insane, hell I think its not even the best match of the night but otherwise yeah good stuff."
awael534 wrote on 18.01.2026:
[9.0] "I'm still buzzing from this. A '3 Stages of Hell' match on SmackDown and a WWE World Title change! That is HISTORIC. We've all been begging for Drew to get his moment, and to see WWE finally pull the trigger when absolutely nobody expected it was unreal. The match itself was a war. Yeah, the finish with Fatu was a bit messy but honestly I don't give a shit. The right guy finally won. 100% the right call."
RJC316 wrote on 18.01.2026:
[8.0] "Stage one was a quick win after Cody dominated, which is a tried and tested way of doing this type of stip. I loved that Drew was a hypocrite and cheated to win that one. The selfie spot was fantastic and the use of the banana stupid, but funny. The kick out from the balcony table kick out was a surprise and the Cross Rhodes on the announce desk was sick, as was the superplex from the cage in the third fal.I thought the tilt a whirl Cross Rhodes counter was exceptional.Triple cross Rhodes counter into the exposed turnbuckle and Claymore was a great false finish. The Cody Cutter from the cage was another sick false finish. And for me, what a fucking finish. Makes sense as Jacob wants Drew, but Cody got a beating too because, well Jacob is Jacob. The title change freshens up the Road to WrestleMania considerably. Loved this, loved the physicality, scrapes and bleeding."
SKeL wrote on 16.01.2026:
[3.0] "This finish was absolutely terrible, extremely bad, and it's quite embarassing that I have to write a long comment to justify this rating. Hell we even got two bad finishes in the same match because the finish of the first fall also sucked (yes the so called straight wrestling match ending in 3 minutes with a low blow classifies as a bad finish). Both men worked very hard especially Cody who took some really big bumps and the actual wrestling was good so I won't go lower than 3 but the booking was terrible."
celticinvader wrote on 15.01.2026:
[6.0] "Really liked the "straight wrestling match" (please stop calling it that), after that it becomes more of a mixed bag. The falls count anywhere match was kinda lame walk and brawl nonsense that ultimately climaxed in a couple fun big spots (though the pop when Cody dived off the stairs was louder than the announce table crossrhodes and should've been the finish imo). Then the cage match was looking to be the best segment until the lame interference spot and disappointing escape the cage through the door finish. Right winner, wrong finish."
Crilumain wrote on 15.01.2026:
[5.0] "it was mid all the way long like it was not an incredible match like what i have heard recently on social media the first steelcage was pretty decent but sloppy booking once again by triple h but mcintyre winning the championship was enjoyable"
2violent4tv wrote on 14.01.2026:
[7.0] "I didn't understand the stipulation of this match, since only the final fall truly mattered. The booking did the feud a disservice and ultimately dragged the match down, despite the significant potential it had given its importance. The first two falls were rushed through with little care. In the opening fall, Cody Rhodes' motivation was unclear. At first, it seemed like he genuinely wanted a quick win, but instead he mostly came across as frantic and unfocused. Drew McIntyre's idea of forcing Cody to lose the fall via disqualification was there, but the story never had time to develop because the fall ended far too quickly. The second fall existed almost exclusively to set up two outside-the-ring spots. Beyond those moments, it was a standard WWE-style brawl, lacking creativity or meaningful progression. It was only in the final fall that the match finally found its footing. This is where the character work shined with the tension between Cody and Drew becoming clear, along with each man's desire to prove he is the top wrestler on the brand. Unfortunately, just as the match was reaching a higher level and the final fall had the chance to make up for the first two, the booking struck again and somehow they still failed to give Drew McIntyre a clean victory."
MarkCarnochan97 wrote on 14.01.2026:
[8.0] "[4.25 Stars] This one didn't quite have the same feeling of danger, or that something crazy could happen, that previous three stages of hell matches have had, but these man are so damn good that they sure as hell brought the intensity that the match needed to feel worth it. Terrific stuff throughout from both guys and the way they told the story through each stage was really well done. As it was taped I had heard about/seen the finish before I saw the match. With context, the finish is brilliant. Really great stuff all around and so happy to finally see Drew win a title match again after so many years."
ejr6309 wrote on 14.01.2026:
[8.0] "Great match, for my first time watching three stages of hell, I thought it was handled well, really happy Drew is now champion, however I once again hated the ending with Fatu coming back, at least positively it creates a new and cool feud with Cody & Jacob."
dhruboezit wrote on 13.01.2026:
[9.0] "They gave it their all, it was Drew's final chance. The splash from the railing from Cody, the Cody Cutter from the top of the cage, Cross Rhoades on the table, both dropping on the ropes hanging from the cage, alongside many many memorable moments. This had the big match feel, you almost forgot this was literally another episode of SmackDown, and not a PPV main event. Crowd was lit up obviously, overall this is what wrestling is supposed to be. Not just an exchange of continuous strikes but a harrowing struggle leading to a memorable finish. Fatu's return led to a debacle at the end leading to slimey Drew winning the title off of an intervention, yet Drew proved his words right, finally got what he deserved."
x1MCI9 wrote on 13.01.2026:
[9.0] "This really felt like the best match Cody and Drew have ever put on together, very fast, physical, and packed with big moments, even if that first fall flew by a little too quickly. The chaos of the Falls Count Anywhere brawl and the brutality of the steel cage kept the whole thing tense, with Cody throwing himself off crazy heights and both guys going all-in. Then Jacob Fatu showed up out of nowhere, which threw everyone off because his attack on Cody didn't even make sense after how normal their last interaction was. Still, his interference clearly pushes him into the main-event picture and opens the door for a bunch of new storylines. In the end, Drew taking advantage of the madness to finally win the WWE Title just felt right, and it sets things up perfectly for whatever comes next."
ILoveKyleFletcher wrote on 13.01.2026:
[10.0] "Even though some might argue that the ending was lame and the first round was mid, I still thought this was a pretty good match with WWE finally pulling the trigger on Drew."
GM56 Champion wrote on 12.01.2026:
[7.0] "The first fall was a little bit too short and ended out of nowhere. The second one was better - Cody controlled the action and gave Drew a hard time. The third was so-so. The lack of brutality and a confusing double attack by Jacob. Was it Drew or Cody that assaulted him a few months back? If only one of them attacked him, why was he beating two of them? I don't know, I'll see. A quite good watch, but the appeal of Three Stages of Hell is long gone, because of the violence restrictions if you will"
Hunter85 wrote on 12.01.2026:
"[9.0] A great match, but without the proper ending, which should ve been Orton, not Fatu, costing Rhodes the title!"
TimeWarped wrote on 12.01.2026:
[9.0] "Loved this one, although the first fall felt a bit rushed the next two made up for it. Great to see Fatu back (although interrupting a cage match does feel a bit cheap) and I could do without seeing Drew absorbing two back to back finishers like they were nothing. However, the cutter from the top of the cage was amazing as was the backstage brawling. Overall, it was a great main event between two of the top guys around right now."
Yee I watch wrestlin wrote on 12.01.2026:
[8.0] "This match was very good and it was structured nicely. Super happy Drew finally had his moment in front of fans and even more so overseas. But there's a weird feeling I have where this match just didn't feel like a three stages of hell match. The first two falls especially the first one legit lasted like 3 minutes and then the second maybe like 6 minutes so by the time we get to the third fall we're like no more then 10 minutes into this match and then I just feel like the cage itself wasn't really put over as the third and final stage being ultimate hell in this match. I enjoyed the feud and the match itself no shitting on it just a weird feeling I had. Also the finish was cool fatu returns and goes after Drew but then shockingly he went after Cody and ultimately costed him the world title. The finish was interesting to me because I personally would have liked Drew to win it legit and not really tainted and now I wonder do we get a three way eventually or does fatu feud with one before the other. Great match great outcome. (****1/4)"
Deemon Wrestling wrote on 12.01.2026:
[9.0] "Yes, that was awesome. That's the way how we made main event. Drew palyed with Cody so long and Rhodes from the first secunds attacked McIntyre in a non-stop action fight, but he grab the first fall. In the middle part Cody beat his opponent behind the crowd and pin after Cross Rhodes on commentary table. The last part of this match was brutal and tensioned, almost every move can ended entire match. But Jacob Fatu reterned and helped McIntyre won WWE championship. Not satisfyed by this ending, but I'm very happy for Drew, he deserved it."
Mix777 wrote on 12.01.2026:
[8.0] "This was a really fun match. Both competitors are fantastic and the crowd was eating everything up. It was a bit funny to start with a pure wrestling match however the other two stipulations really brought things up. Simply it was really fun to watch these two beat the shit out of each in the crowd and then in a cage. I was NOT a fan of another fucking run in. This didn't need it, enough with interruptions and let your babyfaces lose honestly. I'll also be honest and say it was the right call to have Drew win. Fun match, I never tune into weekly WWE but I'm glad I did for this"
GoldLiger wrote on 12.01.2026:
[6.0] "The first fall with Drew attempting to get Cody DQ'd only to just low blow him to take it was good stuff. The second fall was one of the more lifeless crowd brawls I've seen even with Cody's splash from the rafters (I also just laughed at the bit where he shoved a banana into Drew's mouth). The early parts of the cage match were quite good with the near-escapes that turned into some really solid overhead suplexes, but then they just started going to the well of finisher kickouts until it was time for Fatu's awful run-in that ruined the finish of the match. Can't really fault the work Cody & Drew put in even if it was just going to be a "pretty good" world title match, but that final ~5 minutes drags it down to "alright". ***"
OneSuddenBOOM wrote on 11.01.2026:
[6.0] "I used to pray for times like this. Drew getting his world title win finally. However the matches themselves were barely above average. Bit of a waste of the three stages of hell match type, a regular match should not be in there, and it ended with a low blow. The falls count anywhere saved it if we're looking at in/out-ring consistency with good spots, because that cage match was ass. YOU SHOULD HAVE TO CLIMB THE CAGE TO WIN Only rated this high because of the result and there were several great spots in an otherwise bang average match. BUT, that ending. Jesus. Almost ruined it for me because I was reminded that Jacob Fatu exists."
704eb wrote on 11.01.2026:
[5.0] "Nothing about this is egregiously terrible regarding the work, but so much of it just feels totally lifeless to me and probably just because of how much they've run this program to death. I actually liked some of their prior matches more than most, but I will definitely be the low man on this one. The first two falls don't really see anything interesting, and they're worked like filler - so why not just book a steel cage match instead? Once they get in the cage, the action does pick up and there's some good stuff like the cutter off the cage and some good brawling. It never really goes anywhere from a drama perspective, and that finish is just a wet fart and doesn't make Drew look good at all. Interference in general isn't inherently bad, but the way it's done in the current WWE main event style and how often it's done just makes it pretty uninteresting to me. Punk and Breakker managed to have a really good TV main despite the shenanigans earlier in the week, but this one not as much."
Eytexi wrote on 11.01.2026:
[3.0] "The first fall was horrendous and demonstrates a common issue with multi-fall matches. There is absolutely zero part of me that believes Drew would pin Cody in five minutes if this was a single fall match; there is absolutely no reason other than storytelling narrative that this should be different in this instance, making it difficult to remain immersed. The second fall, far better. A trio of great table spots, nice use of the Falls Count Anywhere stipulation (although this could have been more creative), and an explosive finish. The Steel Cage in WWE is a bit of a joke; WHY can you just walk out the door? It completely defeats the purpose if you can say "please open the door" and walk out at any moment. Why is Cody climbing the cage after the cutter when he can just walk out the door? It's insultingly stupid. Cody hitting two Cross Rhodes to no impact was awful; the idea that three is match-ending versus anyone, but two can be shrugged-off is absurd. The finish: the less said the better. Genuinely pathetic third fall. What a complete waste of a great feud this match was. Rhodes vs. McIntyre, after the great build, Three Stages of Hell, should be a PPV main-event and MOTY contender. This was completely forgettable, lacking in emotion and violence, and was full of stipulation-destroying tropes."
Touch6doen7 wrote on 11.01.2026:
[9.0] "Great smackdown main event. The first fall was kind of nothing but the falls count anywhere was a lot of fun with crazy spots and the cage match was great. The Jacob fatu ending didn't do much for me personally but this match does get points for a great shock title change"
sarahlicity wrote on 11.01.2026:
[7.0] "People had a good laugh at Jesse Ventura's rant about Jesse Ventura's rant eight months ago about the "escape the cage" win condition of WWE's Steel Cage matches... but the Body ain't wrong, the way WWE do it is dumb as hell. When you've got a feud that's been going on this long, as is the case for Cody and Drew (they've been at it since SummerSlam! ), you need to have the feud end definitively. Drew scrambling out the door to win the title due to Jacob Fatu interference ain't it, chief. It just devalues everything around the match: the participants, the title, the feud, the show, everything. Because up until the finish, this was pretty good. Not either man's best, but a decent 8.5, maybe 9/10 TV main event. I know Roman/Cody at Mania doesn't necessarily need the title, but honestly, it'd be a better Mania title match than Drew vs. Anyone Else at this point. Another example of how WWE booking just gets frustrating in how it's too cute by half; it's not bad, but it's needlessly convoluted and the simpler path would be even better."
Oswuold wrote on 11.01.2026:
[10.0] "Great main-event, one of the best SmackDown matches of the last year with really good spots and great crescendo. Ending could have not been the best but the result was on point. *****"