The original creative pitch for the Undisputed WWE Championship match at WrestleMania 42 reportedly involved Drew McIntyre facing Cody Rhodes inside Hell in a Cell.
According to a report from PWInsider, early internal discussions within WWE creative considered using the brutal stipulation as the final chapter of the rivals’ long-running feud.
Rhodes and McIntyre had been locked in a heated rivalry since late 2025, a storyline that saw McIntyre hold the Undisputed WWE Championship for 57 days. A Hell in a Cell match was reportedly pitched as the definitive conclusion to their conflict.
However, plans for the WrestleMania main event have since shifted.
Instead of continuing the feud with McIntyre, current creative direction now points toward Rhodes defending the championship against Randy Orton in a singles match at the Las Vegas event.
The change allows WWE to lean into the long-standing personal history between Rhodes and Orton, which dates back to their time together in the Legacy faction alongside Ted DiBiase Jr. during the late 2000s. The matchup has long been discussed by fans as a potential WrestleMania showdown.
Meanwhile, McIntyre is still expected to play a major role on the WrestleMania 42 card despite losing the title to Rhodes on the March 6 episode of WWE SmackDown.
Reports have linked McIntyre to a possible match with Jacob Fatu, though WWE has yet to officially confirm that bout.
WrestleMania 42 will take place at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on April 18 and April 19, 2026.
