Cody Rhodes is back on top in WWE, and the road to WrestleMania 42 just became even more exciting. In the main event of WWE SmackDown on 6 March 2026, Cody defeated Drew McIntyre to win the WWE Championship for the third time.
It was a huge ending to the show and a big moment for fans in Portland, Oregon. With this victory, Cody now heads into WrestleMania as champion, where he is set to defend the title against Randy Orton in Las Vegas. The show also featured major developments in the women’s division, tag team title scenes, and a few surprising backstage moments that added more drama to WWE’s biggest season of the year.
Cody Rhodes wins the WWE Championship again
The biggest story of the night was clearly Cody Rhodes defeating Drew McIntyre in the main event. Drew was not happy about defending the title and even tried to argue that Cody should not have received a rematch. But SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis made it clear that the match would happen.
When the match finally took place, it felt like a proper main event. Both men fought hard, and the title seemed like it could go either way. The turning point came when Jacob Fatu appeared and stopped McIntyre from using a steel chair. That small moment completely changed the direction of the match. Cody took advantage, hit a top rope Cody Cutter, followed it up with Cross Rhodes, and got the win.
This result is very important because Cody is once again the face of the blue brand going into WrestleMania season. Winning the WWE Championship for the third time adds another big achievement to his career, and it also brings a strong emotional angle because he now has to defend it against Randy Orton, a man he deeply respects.
Randy Orton makes his WrestleMania goal clear
Randy Orton opened SmackDown and reminded everyone why he is still one of WWE’s biggest stars. He spoke about his long WrestleMania history and said that even after competing at 20 WrestleManias, he has only main evented twice. That line showed how much the main event still means to him.
Orton made it clear that he does not care whether he faces Cody Rhodes or Drew McIntyre. His only goal is to leave Las Vegas as a 15-time world champion. That promo became even more interesting when Trick Williams interrupted him.
Trick was upset for two reasons. First, he believed he should have been the one heading to WrestleMania for a title shot. Second, he was still offended by Orton joking about his height at Elimination Chamber.
The segment ended in classic Randy Orton style with an RKO out of nowhere. It was short, sharp, and got a strong reaction from the crowd. It also kept Orton looking dangerous ahead of his title match with Cody.
Jade Cargill and Rhea Ripley heat up the women’s title picture
Another major highlight was the first face-to-face meeting between WWE Women’s Champion Jade Cargill and Women’s Elimination Chamber winner Rhea Ripley. This segment had strong star power and made their WrestleMania match feel much bigger.
Jade entered with confidence and offered Ripley a handshake. She said she respects Rhea’s achievements and physical strength, but also made it clear that she is not intimidated. Jade called herself bigger, stronger, and promised to destroy Ripley in Las Vegas.
Rhea answered in a very direct way. She admitted Jade looks impressive, but said that looks alone do not win fights. Ripley’s message was simple: Jade may be built for show, but Rhea is built for fighting. The exchange was intense, and both women came out looking strong.
This segment did exactly what it needed to do. It made fans more interested in the upcoming title match and added personal energy without turning it into a physical fight too early.
New contenders emerge in the tag team divisions
SmackDown also moved both tag team title stories forward. In the women’s division, Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss defeated Giulia and Kiana James to become the new number one contenders for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship. Charlotte looked especially confident in the match and delivered some of the most eye-catching moves, including a top rope moonsault. In the end, she pinned Giulia after hitting Natural Selection.
Earlier in the night, champions Nia Jax and Lash Legend celebrated their recent title win and claimed they now control the entire division. That celebration did not last long, as multiple teams stepped forward to challenge them. Now, with Charlotte and Alexa officially next in line, the women’s tag team scene feels more competitive.
On the men’s side, Damian Priest and R-Truth won tag team turmoil to become the number one contenders for the WWE Tag Team Championship. The match had plenty of action and some controversy too. Fraxiom eliminated the Motor City Machine Guns in a disputed finish, Los Garza looked sharp, and outside interference also played a role. But in the end, Priest and Truth stood tall after finishing Angel and Berto with a strong combo move.
Other important moments from the show
There were several other moments on SmackDown that helped fill out the episode:
| Segment | What happened | Why it mattered |
|---|---|---|
| Carmelo Hayes vs Hijo Del Dr. Wagner Jr. | Hayes retained the Men’s United States Championship | Hayes continues to build momentum as champion |
| Ilja Dragunov backstage interview | He said title shots must be earned | This added depth to his character and set up a future match |
| Sami Zayn tension | He argued with Cody Rhodes and later questioned Randy Orton | WWE is showing his frustration clearly before WrestleMania |
| Oba Femi vs Johnny Gargano | Oba defeated Gargano in dominant fashion | Oba looked powerful while Gargano’s struggles continued |
| Danhausen and The Miz | Danhausen tried to find a mentor, but Miz refused | A fun and strange segment that could become entertaining TV |
Sami Zayn’s role on this episode was especially interesting. He seemed frustrated with both Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton, and his conversations showed that he may be struggling with where he stands before WrestleMania. That emotional angle could become important in the coming weeks.
What Cody Rhodes’ title win means for WrestleMania 42
Cody Rhodes winning the WWE Championship again changes the full WrestleMania picture. A title defence against Randy Orton already feels like a premium main event because of their history, mutual respect, and the emotional connection between them. Orton wants title number 15, while Cody wants to prove that his latest reign will last longer than the previous one.
At the same time, Drew McIntyre is unlikely to stay quiet after losing the championship in such dramatic fashion, especially with Jacob Fatu influencing the finish. That means this story may not be completely finished yet.
Overall, this episode of SmackDown did an excellent job of building excitement for WrestleMania 42. Cody Rhodes ended the night with the title, Randy Orton kept his focus clear, Rhea Ripley and Jade Cargill delivered a strong verbal showdown, and both tag divisions got fresh contenders.
Add in the tension around Sami Zayn, the rise of Carmelo Hayes, and the chaos brought by Danhausen, and this felt like a packed and meaningful show. SmackDown gave fans action, drama, and strong WrestleMania hype in one episode, and that is exactly what WWE needed at this stage.
