Cody Rhodes captures Undisputed WWE Championship, sets up epic WrestleMania 42 match

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Cody Rhodes will walk into WrestleMania 42 as the undisputed WWE champion as he took the title back from Drew McIntyre on "Friday Night SmackDown."

Rhodes and McIntyre were locked in a brutal feud that ended with them locking horns for the title on Friday night. "The American Nightmare" hit McIntyre with a Cody Cutter from the top rope and then hit McIntyre with the Cross Rhodes in the center of the ring.

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Cody Rhodes holds the title belt during SmackDown at Moda Center on March 6, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. (Melina Pizano/WWE via Getty Images)

He pinned McIntyre and the celebration began.

Jacob Fatu also got his hand involved in the match as well, taking a chair away from McIntyre who was set to use it for nefarious purposes.

The match was arranged at the Elimination Chamber when McIntyre got himself involved in Rhodes’ attempt to win the match and give himself an opportunity for the title at WrestleMania. He did enough to cost Rhodes then, but SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis sparked his own war of words with McIntyre and booked the title match.

Cody Rhodes celebrate's his win during SmackDown at Moda Center on March 6, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. (Melina Pizano/WWE via Getty Images)

It ended with Rhodes back on top of the championship picture and earning his spot at WrestleMania 42. It's his third reign as Undisputed WWE champion.

He will be going up against Randy Orton, who won the men’s Elimination Chamber match. Orton and Rhodes have a long backstory that began when Rhodes was in Orton’s faction in 2008. About 16 years later, the two will have match on "the grandest stage of