Undisputed Champion and NXT Champion trade words before Saturday Night’s Main Event
Summary
– Cody Rhodes addressed Drew McIntyre before being interrupted by Oba Femi
– Oba Femi confronted Rhodes ahead of their championship match
– The segment set the tone for Saturday Night’s Main Event
Cody Rhodes appeared on the December 12 episode of WWE SmackDown with emotions running high as the situation involving Drew McIntyre continued to escalate. Management revealed that McIntyre refused to appear due to what his legal team described as an unsafe working environment, a claim that Rhodes openly dismissed.
Rhodes took the microphone and directly called out McIntyre, accusing him of avoiding responsibility and hiding behind excuses. He said McIntyre’s behavior explained why he was no longer WWE Champion and promised to handle matters himself when given the chance.
Before Rhodes could move on, the atmosphere shifted as NXT Champion Oba Femi made his way to the ring. Fresh off his title defense at NXT Deadline, Femi made it clear he was focused solely on Rhodes and their upcoming showdown. He introduced himself as the ruler and warned Rhodes that his attention was misplaced.
Oba Femi framed the match as present versus future and rejected the idea that the future was distant. He told Rhodes that the future was already standing before him and promised to take his place at the top. He even echoed John Cena’s famous words, declaring that Rhodes’ time was up.
Rhodes fired back by reminding Femi that he was the man who defeated John Cena to win the Undisputed WWE Championship. The two champions stood face to face as the tension peaked, leaving no doubt that their clash at Saturday Night’s Main Event would be one of the biggest tests of Femi’s career.
