Welcome back to our regular rundown column, where we pinpoint the peaks and valleys of all your favorite pro wrestling programming. We’ve just finished the February 13 edition of “WWE SmackDown” and, as always, the Wrestling Inc. has some things to get off their chests. WWE

Drew McIntyre screwed both Jacob Fatu and Sami Zayn a shot at the Elimination Chamber match when he meddled in the main event. Rhodes wanted to win the Royal Rumble to get a rematch against McIntyre since he denied him one. Winning the Elimination Champion would give him another opportunity. Although this could’ve been the plan all along, it very much feels like Paul Levesque panic booking due to allegedly being under fire by TKO for the low WrestleMania ticket sales.

Since CM Punk vs. Roman Reigns has been made official as a WrestleMania main event, WWE has been hyping it every chance they get. They probably think McIntyre vs. Rhodes is just as big, even if we’ve seen them wrestle more than a half a dozen times since 2024. If they main event the other night, then it blocks a women’s main event. The winner of the Royal Rumble match gets a title match and usually gets a headlining spot, if you’re a man. Women haven’t closed WrestleMania since 2021 and even then, the fans had to beg for it online. I wasn’t holding my breath for this year to be any different, but McIntyre vs. Rhodes would squash any sliver of possibility there was.

A fellow writer suggested WWE could potentially add Zayn to McIntyre vs. Rhodes, a la Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania XXX. Sikoa potentially be added and made a Fatal 4-Way, but that isn’t a ‘Mania main event. WWE will most likely go the boring route and stick with Rhodes and McIntyre, even though Zayn being added and winning the title would be more satisfying.

Written by Samantha Schipman