The main event of tonight’s (Feb. 13) episode of SmackDown was a high stakes triple threat match featuring Cody Rhodes vs. Jacob Fatu vs. Sami Zayn. The winner qualifies for a spot in the men’s Elimination Chamber match on Feb. 28, which is seemingly the only path left towards earning a WWE championship match at WrestleMania 42.
Minutes before the match began, WWE Champion Drew McIntyre found Sami backstage and said he had a feeling that Sami was finally going to win the big one tonight. This sounded like Drew’s way of saying he intended to interfere in the match to screw over Rhodes and Fatu.
It turns out that was exactly Drew’s strategy. Just when it looked like Fatu was going to steal the pin from Cody late in the bout, McIntyre came in outta nowhere with a Claymore to the Samoan Werewolf’s skull. The WWE champ powerbombed Jacob through a table outside the ring to remove him from the equation.
McIntyre then set his sights on Rhodes, blasting him with a Claymore as well. Drew draped Sami’s unconscious body on Cody for the pin, but WWE’s golden boy somehow got his shoulder up during the three count.
Drew couldn’t believe Rhodes kicked out, so he got back in the ring to finish the job. What he didn’t anticipate is that Sami would reject his help by nailing him with a Helluva Kick. With Drew taken out, Cody got back up and finished Zayn off from behind with Cross Rhodes for the win.
The WWE commentators marveled at how Rhodes’ dream to be in the WWE championship match at WrestleMania 42 is still alive now that he is qualified for the men’s Elimination Chamber.
Now that Cody is in, Jacob is out, and Sami is still a big loser, do you think it’s a foregone conclusion that Rhodes wins the chamber and finds his way in the WWE championship match yet again at the biggest wrestling show of the year?
Give me your reaction to this finish and booking decision in the comments below, Cagesiders.
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