The rivalry between Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre is officially headed to its most punishing chapter yet.
A chapter that takes place in hell.
On Friday’s episode of WWE SmackDown, McIntyre announced that he and Rhodes will clash in a Three Stages of Hell match on the January 9 edition of SmackDown, with the bout set to take place in Berlin, Germany.
Before making the announcement, McIntyre attempted to provoke Rhodes by bringing up his family. SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis stepped in to restrain Rhodes, preventing the situation from turning physical.
That restraint didn’t last long.
After revealing the match, McIntyre escalated things even further, telling Rhodes to “say hi to his dad in hell for him.” Rhodes shoved Aldis aside, and McIntyre immediately capitalized, dropping him with a Claymore.
The confrontation came after McIntyre had already made waves earlier in the night.
Prior to Rhodes appearing, McIntyre was shown paying his fine and issuing a sarcastic apology to the referee he had previously Claymored. He continued by apologizing for the official never becoming a wrestler—and for his wife allegedly being disappointed in him.
That edge has been brewing for weeks.
Following WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event, McIntyre met with Aldis to voice his frustrations about the working environment on SmackDown and his belief that he’s been repeatedly screwed in recent title matches. Aldis ultimately agreed to grant McIntyre another shot at the Undisputed WWE Championship, allowing him to personally choose the stipulation.
McIntyre didn’t hesitate to make it brutal.
If interested, you can check out our complete WWE SmackDown Results 12/26/25 here at WrestlingHeadlines.com.
