After years and years on bridesmaid duty, it makes sense that a large portion of the WWE Universe wants to see Drew McIntyre as the bride — and Undisputed WWE Champion — when the smoke clears on WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event this weekend.
Saturday Night’s Main Event is returning to WWE programming on Saturday November 1 from inside the Delta Center in Salt Lake City. This time, the event won’t air on NBC — only Peacock — but, it’ll feature three championship matches, all of which should have significant impact on the WWE creative direction into 2026.
And that’s the question for Drew McIntyre at this point. Is he going to be a a significant part of the WWE creative direction in 2026? Go ahead and bet that McIntyre is going to be a part of the creative direction next year, but the part?
Nah, I’m not buying that.
Cody Rhodes is the guy
McIntyre is facing Cody Rhodes this weekend and the Undisputed WWE Championship that Rhodes holds will be on the line. This is the thing. Cody Rhodes absolutely will be a significant part of WWE plans next year. Just take a good, hard look at the new commercial that dropped for WrestleMania. Cody? Check. CM Punk? Check. Roman Reigns? Check. Brock Lesnar? Check. Hell, Paul Heyman and Triple H? Check and check.
Drew McIntyre is missing and this is why hopes of him winning the championship this weekend should remain tempered. As long as Cody Rhodes is around and as long as he’s functioning at a high level as a babyface, he should be the champion and the focus of the company.
Is it bad timing for McIntyre? Of course it is. If Rhodes wasn’t around, there is a strong argument that McIntyre would be a face of WWE right now. The company champion, in which everything revolves around. Rhodes is around, though, and that’s why McIntyre will dance as a bridesmaid again this weekend in Utah.
As for the other two championship matches this weekend, first up is the WWE Women’s Championship between Tiffany Stratton and Jade Cargill. Stratton has been a good champion and elevated herself with the title into one of WWE’s top women’s stars.
Cargill’s time
Once you do a heel turn like that for Cargill, the foot has to keep on the gas pedal. That was too well done on the part of the booking and Cargill to undo momentum by Cargill not winning the title. It’s her time and there are some big matches on the horizon for the company while the strap is around her waist.
The other is a babyface vs. babyface match for the vacant WWE World Heavyweight Championship. CM Punk faces Jey Uso and the winner becomes WWE World Heavyweight Champion. They kept the build to this match simple, but intense. Both Jey and Punk are likable as both showed enough respect to the other, while admitting they wouldn’t compromise their chances at the championship because of the other guy. There is tension. There is drama. That will be enough to hook the crowd.
Punk over Jey
As for who wins? CM Punk. Punk is the top star on Raw and the bottom line is, there are opportunities for better matches with him as champion. Punk against Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed, Gunther, a returning Seth Rollins, Brock Lesnar, and others are on the table right away for Punk as champion. Jey Uso has his Bloodline stuff going on. That’s his story and losing this title match serves that story better than a win does.
What else? Take to the bank that Dominik Mysterio is retaining his WWE Men’s Intercontinental Championship against both Penta and Rusev in a Triple Threat Match. It’s Dom. It’s his time. He cheats to win and the crowd cheers him for it.
Full WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event Match Card
Cody Rhodes vs. Drew McIntyre - Undisputed WWE Championship
CM Punk vs. Jey Uso - WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Tiffany Stratton vs. Jade Cargill - WWE Women’s Championship
Dominik Mysterio vs. Penta vs. Rusev - Triple Threat Match for the WWE Men’s Intercontinental Championship
WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event Sports Illustrated Preview
What match are you looking forward to most at Saturday Night’s Main Event? Let us know in the comments!
