The main event for WWE Wrestlepalooza is set, as Cody Rhodes is scheduled to challenge Drew McIntyre for the championship. The confirmation ends speculation about Rhodes’ availability, which was in question due to his recent filming commitments. The move solidifies a key match for a card running directly opposite AEW: All Out.
The details emerged on Wrestling Observer Radio, where Dave Meltzer reported that while Randy Orton had been positioned as a backup opponent for McIntyre, Rhodes is now locked in for the spot.
“I know the Cody thing was up in the air; I presume it was because they didn’t know for a fact that he would be done filming (for Street Fighter) by the 20th,” Meltzer stated. “That’s what I was told in the middle of the week – if he’s back, he’ll be on the card, and if he’s not, it’s gonna be Orton and Drew. But yeah, it’s Cody and Drew.”
During Rhodes’ month-long absence from WWE television, Orton was booked in a program with McIntyre. This included a segment where Orton attacked McIntyre and multiple WWE officials, a move intended to keep him hot as a potential replacement for Rhodes.
The foundation for the Rhodes vs. McIntyre feud was laid on the August 8 edition of SmackDown. After a tag team match, McIntyre put Rhodes through the announce table, an angle that served to write Rhodes off television so he could begin filming.
Rhodes’ time away was for his role as Guile in Legendary Entertainment’s live-action Street Fighter movie. The film, set for an October 16, 2026 release, also features Roman Reigns as Akuma, which explains his own recent absence from WWE programming following a storyline assault at WWE Clash in Paris.
While Rhodes is advertised for the October 3 SmackDown, reports indicate his filming could conclude by September 20, clearing the way for his return at Wrestlepalooza.