BERLIN: Drew McIntyre defeated Cody Rhodes on Friday night to win the Undisputed WWE Championship in a brutal Three Stages of Hell match on SmackDown at the Uber Arena in Berlin, Germany.
The highly anticipated clash was the culmination of a rivalry that had been simmering for months.
McIntyre had last challenged Rhodes for the title on the November 1 edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event, where the champion retained after pinning the Scottish Warrior with a DDT on the title belt, followed by a Cross Rhodes.
Following continued attacks on the champion, SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis suspended McIntyre indefinitely.
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The former champion, however, made a dramatic return by interfering in Rhodes’ match against Oba Femi on the December 13 episode of Saturday Night’s Main Event, reigniting the feud.
Tensions escalated further when Rhodes attacked McIntyre at his home, setting the stage for Friday’s title showdown. As part of the stipulation, McIntyre was allowed to choose the stipulation for the match, and he chose the Three Stages of Hell match.
The opening fall was contested under standard rules. Drew McIntyre capitalised on a referee distraction, caused after exposing the top turnbuckle, to deliver a low blow, followed by a Claymore, to take the first fall.
Cody Rhodes responded in the second stage, a Falls Count Anywhere match that descended into chaos across the arena.
McIntyre put the champion through a table early, while Rhodes fought back with a daring frog splash from the crowd barrier. The champion eventually levelled the match by hitting a Cross Rhodes on the announce desk to secure the pinfall.
With the score tied 1-1, the steel cage was lowered for the decisive third stage. Both men, visibly exhausted, pushed themselves to the limit in a tense final stretch.
As McIntyre attempted to escape through the cage door, he was confronted by a hooded figure, revealed to be Jacob Fatu, who made a surprise return after being mysteriously attacked backstage in October.
Fatu entered the cage and attacked McIntyre before turning his attention to Rhodes. Amid the chaos, Drew McIntyre seized the opportunity to crawl out of the cage, securing the victory and the Undisputed WWE Championship.
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