WWE Reportedly Shook Up Plans For Upcoming Rhodes vs McIntyre Match

Did WWE make a significant change to its creative plans?

The latest installment of WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event is set for November 1 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, and the card features two huge championship matches.

CM Punk will face Jey Uso, who won a No. 1 Contender’s Battle Royal on this week’s Raw, for the vacant World Heavyweight Championship, while Cody Rhodes will defend the Undisputed WWE Championship against Drew McIntyre.

However, the latter of those two wasn’t the original plan for the show.

Rhodes vs McIntyre creative changes

According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Rhodes vs. McIntyre was slotted for the Survivor Series PLE on November 29, but it was moved up to Saturday Night’s Main Event due to the reported injury to Jacob Fatu.

McIntyre vs. Fatu was announced for last week’s SmackDown, but the match didn’t happen after Fatu was laid out backstage by an unknown assailant. That led to Rhodes issuing an impromptu challenge to McIntyre, but the match featured a non-finish after a desperate Rhodes hit McIntyre with the title for the disqualification.

What happened to Jacob Fatu?! 😱 pic.twitter.com/WX6aY82QIh
— WWE (@WWE) October 18, 2025

It was reported that Fatu had a recent dental procedure that has kept him from being cleared to compete.

In another report, Bryan Alvarez of The Wrestling Observer stated that Fatu could be back in action before Survivor Series.

What Does It Mean For Survivor Series?

If Rhodes vs. McIntyre is off the card for Survivor Series, what will be the Undisputed WWE Championship Match on the show?

It’s possible that WWE could simply focus on the two Survivor Series: WarGames matches — one for the men and one for the women — and the rumored John Cena vs. Dominik Mysterio match as the top attractions.

WWE

But one would think WWE wants Rhodes or McIntyre on the PLE as champion to give the card even more of a boost.

Will fans finally get the highly predicted Randy Orton heel turn to set up a feud with Rhodes? Who could be the opponent for McIntyre if he dethrones Rhodes at Saturday Night’s Main Event? Or will WWE aim for a third Rhodes vs. McIntyre title match in as many months?

MORE: Major Update On WWE’s Plans For Men’s Survivor Series: WarGames Match

Rhodes defeated McIntyre at WWE Wrestlepalooza back in September, which was the first PLE to air on the ESPN direct-to-consumer streaming service.

Their Saturday Night’s Main Event match will stream exclusively on Peacock after WWE and NBC Universal announced a new multi-year deal back in August.

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