Cody Rhodes expressed his desire to face Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania 42 after losing the WWE Championship to him earlier this year. In recent interviews, Rhodes discussed closing their long-standing rivalry and shared concerns over multiple retirements in WWE. He also hinted at a potential return by Bad Bunny for the event in Las Vegas.
Cody Rhodes, who lost the WWE Championship to Drew McIntyre on the January 9, 2026, episode of Friday Night SmackDown in Berlin, is set to compete in the Men’s Elimination Chamber match in Chicago. The winner will challenge McIntyre for the title at WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas this spring.
In an interview with ESPN’s First Take, Rhodes emphasized his motivation to resolve his ongoing feud with McIntyre. “I’d love to close the loop on Drew because we’ve been fighting each other for quite some time,” Rhodes said. He added that this year feels uncertain compared to previous years when he won the Royal Rumble or entered as champion, making a WrestleMania main event particularly meaningful.
Rhodes also addressed recent retirements in WWE. AJ Styles retired on the February 23 episode of Raw following his final match at the Royal Rumble in January, shortly after John Cena concluded his in-ring career. “I don’t want any more retirements. We’re saying goodbye way too much to too many people,” Rhodes stated. He praised Styles as an incredible performer who wrestled him, his brother, and his father, and noted the surprise inclusion of The Undertaker announcing Styles’ Hall of Fame induction. Rhodes called Gunther a “career killer” and called for more debuts and new beginnings.
In a separate interview with TMZ Sports, Rhodes expressed hope for Bad Bunny’s return at WrestleMania 42. “Oh he killed it. I hope we get him back. He did a wonderful job,” Rhodes said, suggesting a possible matchup with Logan Paul.
