WWE’s latest championship change has sparked a strong reaction from fans online following Cody Rhodes defeating Drew McIntyre to capture the WWE Title on SmackDown.
According to early engagement data, WWE’s YouTube video showing Rhodes’ title victory has received significantly more dislikes than likes. As of Saturday morning, the video had approximately 54,000 dislikes compared to around 17,000 likes, reflecting a noticeable backlash from parts of the fanbase.
Many of the top comments on the video expressed frustration with WWE’s creative direction and the handling of McIntyre’s championship run. Some of the most upvoted comments included: “If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit the original source.”
One fan wrote, “Ruthless Depression,” referencing the infamous “Reign of Terror” era in WWE history. Another joked, “This proves Cody and Triple H sleep together,” while a third criticized the creative direction by writing, “We went from the reign of terror to the booking of terror.”
Negative reactions were also visible across social media, particularly on Twitter/X. Several fans expressed sympathy for McIntyre following the loss.
One user wrote, “@Drew McIntyre deserves better, man. WTF.” Another added, “I feel horrible for Drew, but that’s no one’s fault but Triple H’s. All he had to do was have Drew win at WrestleMania, and Cody could have won here.”
A third fan criticized the decision outright, writing, “Boring champion. You guys are proud of this? Come on, man — for a feud that’s happened hella times before.”
Despite the backlash from some sections of the online community, Rhodes’ victory appears to be a major storyline pivot heading toward WrestleMania 42, where the champion is expected to defend the title against Randy Orton in a highly anticipated showdown.
WWE has not publicly commented on the online reaction, though reports have previously indicated that company officials do monitor fan feedback on social media when assessing creative directions.
