Drew McIntyre declared “I quit” on Friday’s episode of SmackDown in Phoenix, walking out through the crowd after a heated confrontation with SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis and Jacob Fatu.
McIntyre appeared in the crowd and immediately went after Aldis, telling him to take his contract “and shove it up his ass.” McIntyre said his title was stolen from him and accused Aldis of engineering the situation to benefit Cody Rhodes.
“You couldn’t help yourself, Nick, to make sure that your golden boy got a title match before WrestleMania,” McIntyre said. “You are going to make this right.”
Aldis came out and rejected McIntyre’s framing. “There is nothing to make right. Part of being champion is defending your title. It was a one-on-one contest,” Aldis said. He pointed out that McIntyre headbutted a referee during the match and still lost. “You are trying to blame someone else, but you need to look at the consequences of your actions.”
McIntyre fired back, calling Aldis a “corporate stooge” and accusing him of protecting “the corporate champion.” He told Aldis they had a deal and that he lost the title in two matches as a result of interference.
Aldis responded by pointing out that McIntyre had done everything he could to prevent Rhodes from getting a fair title shot, and that the first time Rhodes got one, he won.
McIntyre got in the ring and got in Aldis’ face. “We know that this is bulls**t,” McIntyre said. “Make it right… or else.”
Jacob Fatu Confronts McIntyre
Jacob Fatu then made his way to the ring. After staring each other down, Fatu asked what there was to fix.
“You wouldn’t be champion if it wasn’t for me,” Fatu told McIntyre. “Let’s state the facts. I fixed the situation last week so Drew is no longer champion. This isn’t about Aldis, it isn’t about Cody, it isn’t about anybody else. If you are pointing fingers and blaming people, let’s keep it 100. I’m the one who screwed Drew’s ass.”
Fatu challenged McIntyre directly. “What the hell you gonna do about it?”
McIntyre looked at Fatu, then at Aldis, then at the crowd. “You, Nick, Cody, and these people,” McIntyre said. “I’m done with you all. I quit.”
McIntyre left the ring and walked out through the crowd.
Background
McIntyre lost the Undisputed WWE Championship to Cody Rhodes on the March 6 episode of SmackDown after a chaotic finish. McIntyre accidentally took out the referee with a kick, then attempted to use a steel chair. Fatu interfered and prevented the chair shot, allowing Rhodes to hit a Cody Cutter and Cross Rhodes for the pin.
McIntyre’s title reign lasted 56 days. He won the championship from Rhodes on January 9 in a Three Stages of Hell match, where Fatu’s interference inadvertently cost Rhodes the belt.
Rhodes is now set to defend the Undisputed WWE Championship against Randy Orton in the main event of WrestleMania 42 on April 18-19 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
McIntyre’s “I quit” moment mirrors a similar angle from June 2024, when he quit on Raw after CM Punk cost him the World Heavyweight Championship at Clash at the Castle and subsequently deleted his social media accounts. He returned weeks later.
It appears that WWE’s plan is for McIntyre to face Jacob Fatu at WrestleMania 42. While it was strongly hinted at during SmackDown, the match is not official.
