When Jacob Fatu returned three weeks ago, he only had one thing on his mind. He wanted to confront the person he thought injured him. During that time, Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre were battling in the Three Stages of Hell match for the Undisputed WWE Championship.
Fatu went inside the steel cage and started attacking Rhodes, leading to McIntyre becoming WWE Champion. Words were exchanged, and a match between Fatu and Rhodes was decided for Saturday Night’s Main Event. However, things quickly went off the rails Saturday.
They ended up brawling in the crowd and in the arena, with the match never getting started, and ended with McIntyre attacking both of them. It’s clear that they all still have huge problems with each other. Regarding the disqualification angle, there are a lot of reasons why this decision will turn out to be a good one.
NO WOAH! 🚫
Jacob Fatu is not wasting any time..
Kicking off Saturday Night’s Main Event with CHAOS! pic.twitter.com/AvJybRltte
— WWE (@WWE) January 25, 2026
The Timing is Perfect for Both Rhodes and Fatu
Many fans weren’t too happy when a Saturday Night’s Main Event was announced just seven days before the Rumble. But now that the PLE is over, the timing makes perfect sense. The next time Rhodes and Fatu will meet is in Saudi Arabia, the day before the Rumble.
Both men will be in the match, with SmackDown GM Nick Aldis rightly furious. There’s a lot of things he could do. He could take away their spots, have them re-do the match that night, or do so at the Rumble. If Aldis just gives them a warning, one could eliminate the other during the match, leading to conflict heading into the Elimination Chamber four weeks from Saturday. They could also be in the Chamber match together, which ties into their story. Having a disqualification helps them continue their feud without either taking a loss.
The Stakes are Now Higher for McIntyre
If Rhodes and Fatu brawled with the match just being thrown out, the resolution would be simple. But McIntyre just had to interject himself into the brawl, sticking his nose into their business. Sami Zayn qualified to face him the previous day, so he should’ve been focused on that. Now he knows that Rhodes and Fatu want some revenge for his actions.
He has to face Zayn while also keeping an eye out on the two men he attacked on Saturday night. There’s a huge chance he could get attacked to force a disqualification. He could also be distracted if they go to ringside, leading to Zayn becoming WWE Champion.
He should’ve focused all his energy on his match with Zayn, as he just became champion weeks ago. But instead, being angry at Rhodes and Fatu, he made his first championship defense way more complicated.
The Disqualification Furthers Storylines for All Three Men
Saturday will be a huge night for Fatu, McIntyre, and Rhodes. McIntyre will be defending his Undisputed WWE Championship against Zayn, while Rhodes and Fatu will be in the Rumble. However, their collective actions on Saturday made their night a lot more complicated. Friday’s SmackDown will be interesting as Aldis will undoubtedly be furious at their actions.
Will there be punishments for Rhodes and Fatu, and if so, will that affect their standing in the Rumble? Should McIntyre watch his back against Zayn in case of interference? Perhaps, they will settle their differences at the Elimination Chamber in four weeks.
There are a lot of different ways that their feud can go at this point. It’s clear Rhodes and Fatu have major issues, but could they put that aside to fight McIntyre? The disqualification just made their stories way more interesting, making it the right decision.
DREW McINTYRE JUST TOOK OUT RHODES AND FATU! 🤯
The WWE Champion showing both these men who runs WWE right now. pic.twitter.com/hXvGkpRbCY
— WWE (@WWE) January 25, 2026
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