Drew McIntyre Knew He Could Drop WWE Title Before WrestleMania 42

Drew McIntyre losing the Undisputed WWE Championship to Cody Rhodes may have shocked some fans — but according to a new report, it wasn’t exactly a surprise to McIntyre himself.

Self Made Pro revealed during a Self Made Session on March 9, 2026 that McIntyre was fully aware there was a strong possibility he would drop the title during WrestleMania season. The report explained that people close to McIntyre indicated he had already considered what his next move might be if he hadn’t won the title in the first place.

“Drew McIntyre, according to sources close to him, would have contemplated maybe just taking some time off had he not beaten Cody for the belt at the start of the year.”

While the Scottish Warrior did defeat Cody Rhodes earlier in the year to capture the Undisputed WWE Championship, the report says he understood from the beginning that the title reign might not last long.

“Throughout this entire process, Drew was very much aware of the possibility, and in some cases even the likelihood, that he was going to drop the championship during Mania season. So he’s not surprised or mind-blown that it’s happened. He was aware of what this reign was going to be.”

Rhodes ultimately regained the title from McIntyre on the March 6 episode of SmackDown, a result that led to tons of backlash from fans online. The match quickly became one of WWE’s most disliked YouTube uploads of the year. So despite the strong reaction from fans, the latest update suggests that the title change may have been part of the plan all along — and that McIntyre himself was already prepared for the possibility.

What do you think about Drew McIntyre reportedly knowing he might lose the title during WrestleMania season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

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