There has been a major update regarding WWE’s WrestleMania plans for Drew McIntyre. The veteran is scheduled to defend the Undisputed WWE Championship against Cody Rhodes this Friday night on SmackDown.

According to a new report from BodySlam+, the promotion is considering having Drew McIntyre square off against Jacob Fatu at The Show of Shows in April. Fatu returned from his hiatus earlier this year and attacked both Cody Rhodes and McIntyre in the Three Stages of Hell match for the title. The interference allowed McIntyre to capture the title from Rhodes on the January 9, 2026, episode of the blue brand.

Randy Orton won the Men’s Elimination Chamber match at the PLE this past Saturday night. As a result of the victory, The Viper will be challenging for the Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas.

Drew McIntyre interfered in the match to prevent Cody Rhodes from winning it. Orton capitalized on the situation and planted Rhodes with an RKO out of nowhere to win the match.

Former WWE star pitches return to help Drew McIntyre

Heath Slater pitched his return to the promotion after five years to help Drew McIntyre.

Speaking on the Developmentally Speaking podcast, Slater offered to help McIntyre and reunite with his 3MB stablemate. The veteran also noted that he wouldn’t mind having a backstage role in the promotion as well.

“It’s like, if WWE ever called and was like, ‘Hey man, Drew [McIntyre] needs some help. We need to bring the band back together.’ I will be like h*ll yeah baby, sign me for about a year or two. I would follow it up like, yeah but after that could I be an agent or a trainer or something? You know, maybe help some of these kids out. But yeah I would totally follow up with that,” he said. [H/T: Inside the Ropes]

You can check out the interview in the video below:

It will be interesting to see if McIntyre can defeat Rhodes to retain his title this Friday night on SmackDown.