Cody Rhodes winning the WWE Championship on SmackDown has sparked discussion among fans and analysts, including WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray. The title change saw Rhodes defeat Drew McIntyre to regain the championship, and while Ray supported the creative decision, he also pointed out a concern about how the match was structured.
The match featured several intense moments, including action that spilled outside the ring and a spot where Rhodes was put through a table. While Ray said he enjoyed the overall presentation of the match, he questioned why such a physical contest did not include a formal stipulation.
Speaking on Busted Open Radio, Ray explained that his issue had nothing to do with the performers themselves.
“I was happy with that television world championship match and I was unhappy with that television world championship match. The unhappy does not have anything to do with Cody or Drew. It has to do with the rules, the regulations, and the lack of stipulations.”
According to Ray, the level of physicality in the bout made the absence of clear match rules feel inconsistent with what viewers were seeing in the ring.
“I have the same problem with Cody and Drew’s match, the stipulations on that match, that I had with Kenny Omega and Okada at Wrestle Kingdom. But as far as a television main event is concerned, mission accomplished.”
Despite raising those concerns, Ray strongly supported WWE’s decision to have Rhodes win the title. Cody Rhodes winning the Undisputed WWE Championship on SmackDown marked a major turning point in the storyline and the road to WrestleMania 42.
“I have zero problems with this creative decision. I have zero problems with this change of direction. None. I think it was a great idea. Forget about great idea, I think it was a smart idea. I think it was a ‘best for business’ idea. And at the end of the day, it makes for a considerably better story.”
Rhodes’ win marks his third world championship reign in WWE and moves him into a major match at WrestleMania. He is currently scheduled to defend the title against Randy Orton, who earned the opportunity after winning the men’s Elimination Chamber match.
Ray also noted that he is interested in seeing how WWE builds the rivalry between Rhodes and Orton on television in the coming weeks. He compared the potential face-to-face moment between the two stars to the excitement generated by the recent confrontation between CM Punk and Roman Reigns on WWE RAW.
WA on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/wrestlingattitude/
WA on Facebook (Women's Wrestling) - https://www.facebook.com/WrestlingDivas/
WA on X/Twitter - https://x.com/wa_wrestling
WA on Instagram (Women's Wrestling) - https://www.instagram.com/wa_wrestlingattitude/
WA on Google News - https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMJf3owsw2oG8Aw
WA on Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/wrestlingattitude.bsky.social
