Summary

Drew McIntyre vs. Cody Rhodes for the WWE Title is set for Friday’s SmackDown, with the winner scheduled to defend against Elimination Chamber winner Randy Orton at WrestleMania 42.

A new report said a title change on SmackDown is currently expected, while also noting plans can still change.

The same report said the direction is not tied to dissatisfaction with McIntyre’s performance, and that the focus is on getting to Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton this year.

Drew McIntyre, Cody Rhodes, and Randy Orton leave WWE with multiple WrestleMania 42 branches

If the title changes on SmackDown, WWE gets the Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton match path that the report described, and that would lock in a major WrestleMania 42 headline direction before event week.

If plans shift, the report still leaves multiple options open for Drew McIntyre, including a triple threat scenario or a separate WrestleMania program, so Friday remains a key pivot point in the entire title picture.

For card context around this same match setup, see the latest SmackDown lineup update.