McIntyre’s Championship Win on SmackDown Was a Last-Minute Shift Driven by Injury and Talent Input
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A dramatic championship change on the January 9,2026,edition of SmackDown was far from a foregone conclusion,with Drew McIntyre’s Undisputed WWE Title victory stemming from a series of unforeseen circumstances and collaborative creative decisions. New details reveal that the path to McIntyre’s fourth world championship was paved with last-minute adjustments, long-term planning, and direct input from the performers themselves.
Original Plans Derail Due to Injury
Initial creative plans for the championship bout centered around a three-way match featuring McIntyre, Cody Rhodes, and Jacob Fatu. However, those plans were abruptly altered when Fatu was sidelined due to an injury, forcing WWE officials to pivot. “You know, the original plan was a Cody-Fatu-Drew three way,” one analyst explained. “Fatu obviously vanished for a long time, but now he’s back and basically right where we were before all that happened.”
The unexpected absence of Fatu led to a concentrated focus on the rivalry between McIntyre and Rhodes,culminating in a brutal 3 Stages of Hell match in Berlin. The final stage, contested inside a steel cage, took a shocking turn with Fatu’s surprise return to the ring, creating chaos for both competitors. Despite the interference, McIntyre managed to escape the cage and secure the championship.
A Calculated Decision to Elevate McIntyre
The decision to award the title to McIntyre was not a hasty one, but rather a purposeful move to solidify his position as a top-tier star within the company. “One of the things that I was hearing within the company about this Drew McIntyre title win was that a lot of people felt like he needed to win this title match,” a senior official stated. “They felt that, to take him seriously as a top guy moving forward, he needed to win it.”
Talent Collaboration Shaped the Finish
The shocking title change wasn’t solely a creative decision from the top down. According to reports, both McIntyre and Rhodes proactively approached WWE officials on the day of the event with a proposal for a dramatic finish. They believed a title switch would inject a sense of urgency and importance into the build towards WrestleMania.
This collaborative approach underscores a growing trend of talent involvement in shaping key storylines and outcomes, demonstrating a willingness from WWE to incorporate performer feedback into its creative process. The result was a championship moment that captivated fans and set the stage for a compelling narrative heading into the company’s biggest event of the year.
Why did it end? The match ended with Drew McIntyre escaping the steel cage and securing the championship despite interference from a returning Jacob Fatu.
Who was involved? Drew McIntyre,Cody Rhodes,and Jacob Fatu were the key players. McIntyre ultimately won the title, Rhodes lost it, and Fatu’s return added chaos.
What happened? Initial plans for a three-way match were derailed by Fatu’s injury, leading to a 3 Stages of Hell match between McIntyre and Rhodes. McIntyre won the title after Fatu interfered.
How did it unfold? The title change was a result of a combination of unforeseen circumstances (Fatu’s injury) and collaborative creative input from McIntyre and Rhodes, who proposed a dramatic finish to build towards WrestleMania.
