Rhodes Retains Despite DQ/Count‑Out Stipulation

Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre's long-running feud escalated into a stipulation at the Oct. 31 SmackDown contract signing, where Rhodes agreed he would lose the Undisputed WWE Championship if disqualified or counted out. The rubber match headlined Saturday Night's Main Event in Salt Lake City, where McIntyre controlled much of the bout and briefly left referee Dan Engler incapacitated. Despite McIntyre's advantage, Rhodes ultimately retained the title after driving McIntyre onto the belt with a DDT and finishing with a Cross Rhodes. The rivalry build included a prior DQ finish at WrestlePalooza and a mysterious backstage attack on Jacob Fatu that helped fuel McIntyre's title opportunity. The live show also featured multiple advertised championship matches and chaotic segments, underscoring WWE's stacked card for the weekend.