Three Stages of Hell Match Rules Now Set
WWE SmackDown Results & Key Takeaways – January 26th, 2024
Here’s a breakdown of the key events from the January 26th episode of WWE smackdown:
* Cody Rhodes vs. Drew McIntyre Championship Match Stipulation: Drew McIntyre revealed the match stipulations for his WWE Championship bout against Cody Rhodes next week in Berlin. It will be a Three Stages of Hell match:
* First Fall: Standard Wrestling Match
* Second Fall: Falls Count Anywhere
* Third Fall (if needed): Steel Cage Match
* McIntyre’s Psychological Warfare: McIntyre heavily targeted Rhodes personally, attempting to provoke him into a pre-match attack (wich could result in a title stripping). He also revealed he had been on Rhodes’ bus and destroyed a framed photo of McIntyre with Rhodes’ father, a deeply personal attack. He then burned the photo in the ring while Rhodes was restrained by security.
* Additional Matches announced for January 9th SmackDown (Berlin):
* The Wyatt Sicks vs. The MFTs: Eight-man tag team match.
* Trick Williams vs. rey Fenix: Trick Williams’ in-ring SmackDown debut.
The episode focused heavily on building the intensity and personal animosity between Rhodes and McIntyre leading into their championship match. McIntyre’s actions were notably impactful, aiming to get under Rhodes’ skin and gain a psychological advantage.