WWE has confirmed a marquee singles bout for the January 24 edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event: Cody Rhodes will face Jacob Fatu. The match was made official on Friday’s episode of WWE SmackDown, turning last week’s chaos into a clear next step for both men.
The announcement follows Fatu’s interference in the Three Stages of Hell match between Rhodes and Drew McIntyre last Friday. As Rhodes and Fatu brawled, McIntyre escaped the cage during the third stage, a pivotal moment that shift ed the match’s closing sequence. While the fallout from that stipulation war is still being felt, WWE has now channeled that energy into a high-profile collision at Saturday Night’s Main Event.
For fans tracking WWE’s upper-card dynamics, this booking matters for several reasons. Rhodes remains one of the company’s top standard-bearers and a central figure in major-event storylines. Fatu, meanwhile, has rapidly established himself as a dangerous disruptor with an explosive, power-based offense. Putting them across the ring from each other formalizes what began as an opportunistic run-in and elevates Fatu into the kind of showcase that can redefine his trajectory in a single night.
Saturday Night’s Main Event has long served as a brand for WWE’s touring showpieces—events that often deliver premium-level matchups in front of live crowds. While not every installment carries televised stakes, the series has become a platform for WWE to road-test rivalries, spotlight rising talent against established headliners, and keep momentum humming between major premium live events. A Rhodes–Fatu showdown squarely fits that mold.
From a stylistic standpoint, this is an intriguing clash. Rhodes thrives in big-match scenarios, stringing together counters and escalating drama as he adapts to different opponents. Fatu brings high-impact offense, burst athleticism, and a willingness to initiate chaos—qualities that were on full display when he entered the fray during the Three Stages of Hell match. Expect a physical tone early, with Rhodes trying to blunt Fatu’s pace and isolate openings rather than trading in the pocket for long stretches.
The timing also carries implications for the ongoing Rhodes–McIntyre issue. Fatu’s involvement created the opening McIntyre needed to get out of the cage in the third stage, a development that will not be forgotten as the calendar moves forward. Whether this match becomes a clean detour for Rhodes or the first step in a broader triangle of animosity remains to be seen, but it ensures the personal stakes around Rhodes are only intensifying.
For Fatu, the booking signals WWE’s willingness to accelerate his integration near the top of the card. Interference angles can sometimes be one-off statements; converting that moment into an official bout against one of the company’s most protected stars is something else entirely. If Fatu can translate his raw physicality into sustained ring control against Rhodes, he stands to gain legitimacy that only comes from delivering in a headline-caliber environment.
On the other side, Rhodes enters with both an opportunity and a risk. The opportunity is straightforward: a decisive performance can reassert control over his immediate narrative after the turbulence of the Three Stages of Hell chaos. The risk is just as clear: Fatu’s unpredictability can make even a routine exchange hazardous, and any misstep could ripple through Rhodes’ broader plans as WWE’s schedule accelerates toward the next major tentpoles.
Because WWE set this match on SmackDown, it also underscores how the blue brand is stewarding several intersecting stories at once. That connective tissue—Rhodes’ ongoing hostilities with McIntyre, Fatu’s emergence as a factor, and the use of Saturday Night’s Main Event as a proving ground—reflects a wider strategy of letting live-event moments reshape weekly television and vice versa. The outcome on January 24 may not formally decide championship positioning, but it will inform how WWE frames contendership, grudge directions, and marquee pairings in the near term.
As always, the intangibles will matter. Crowd response has been a signature advantage for Rhodes across markets—his ability to draw fans into a closing stretch often powers comebacks and near-falls. Fatu, meanwhile, thrives on disruption: if he can force early resets, brawl to the floor, or shift the ring geography to his liking, he can dictate longer stretches than many of Rhodes’ recent opponents. That tug-of-war between structure and chaos should define the match’s middle act.
What to watch for on January 24:
- Whether Rhodes uses a conservative approach early to neutralize Fatu’s bursts, or presses the pace to keep Fatu reacting rather than initiating.
- If McIntyre’s presence is felt in any way, given the unresolved tension stemming from the Three Stages of Hell outcome.
- How WWE positions the result on subsequent SmackDown programming—particularly whether it sets up a rematch, a tag wrinkle, or separate escalations for both men.
- The live-event environment, which often allows WWE to test finishing sequences and matchup chemistry ahead of potential premium live event rematches.
However the finish lands, Rhodes vs. Fatu on Saturday Night’s Main Event is not just a stop on the calendar—it’s a temperature check on WWE’s evolving main-event ecosystem. A commanding win for Rhodes steadies the ship after last week’s turmoil. A breakout showing from Fatu would announce a new constant in the top-tier conversation. Either outcome gives WWE fresh narrative fuel as the company builds toward its next major milestones.
Cody Rhodes vs. Jacob Fatu takes place at WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event on Saturday, January 24.
