After a few weeks’ hiatus, the Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes returned on SmackDown and issued a challenge for Wrestlepalooza 2025. It comes in light of WWE Chief Content Officer, Triple H, confirming that he would be back for next week’s premium live event on ESPN.
On the September 12 episode of SmackDown, Drew McIntyre defeated Randy Orton in the main event after the referee stopped Orton from hitting the Punt Kick. After McIntyre’s victory with a Claymore on The Viper, Orton continued to attack him outside the ring. As he went for another Claymore, the new match angle for Wrestlepalooza 2025 began via Rhodes’ return.
The American Nightmare’s music hit the arena, and he ran down to the ring, seeking his revenge on The Scottish Psychopath. Rhodes hit him with a big Cody Cutter before McIntyre rolled out of the ring. Grabbing a microphone, McIntyre stated that “the champ is back” and “they can do this dance” at Wrestlepalooza 2025.
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After the challenge was issued, McIntyre shook his head on the outside, seemingly accepting the match to send SmackDown off the air. However, WWE hasn’t made this official on its website or social media platforms. The current assumption is that Rhodes will eventually defend the WWE Championship against Drew McIntyre at Wrestlepalooza 2025.
Rhodes had been missing from SmackDown TV tapings for the past few weeks, due to his role in the new Street Fighter movie, as well as for the birth of his second child. On television, he was written off by McIntyre upon digesting a Claymore kick through the front of the commentary desk on the August 8 edition of the show. Later, Triple H noted that Rhodes would be back by Wrestlepalooza 2025 PLE.
WWE Wrestlepalooza 2025 PLE Match Card
Heavily promoted as the first WWE premium live event on ESPN, Wrestlepalooza 2025 will be airing on the newly launched ESPN direct-to-consumer streaming service at 7 PM Eastern Time from the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Saturday, September 20. The currently announced match card for the returning ECW show goes as follows,
– John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar
– WWE Championship Match: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Drew McIntyre (TBA)
– Vacant Women’s World Championship Match: IYO SKY vs. Stephanie Vaquer
– Mixed Tag Team Match: WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins & WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch vs. CM Punk & AJ Lee
– The Usos (Jimmy & Jey Uso) vs. The Vision (Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed)