Undisputed WWE champion Cody Rhodes defeated NXT champion Oba Femi by DQ in a WWE vs. NXT showcase match at Saturday Night’s Main Event.
Rhodes won the match after Drew McIntyre attacked him, causing the disqualification.
After the Scot interfered, Femi knocked him over before The American Nightmare took him out, resulting in both wrestlers standing tall inside the ring.
John Cena’s last match is headlining SNME, but during the build toward the event, Cena announced his desire to see the future of WWE showcased on the undercard.
Cena called for WWE vs. NXT exhibitions to be part of the show, and the groundwork was laid for Rhodes’ match about one week before Saturday Night’s Main Event.
On the SmackDown prior to NXT Deadline, Femi and Ricky Saints were called into SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis’ office, and Rhodes was present in order to address them.
He declared that the winner of the NXT Championship match between Femi and Saints at Deadline would also earn the right to face him at SNME.
Femi entered Deadline as the challenger after dropping the NXT title to Saints in September, but he rose to the occasion and got the better of his rival to become a two-time NXT champ.
After his triumph, Femi cut a passionate promo about his impending match with Rhodes and his intention to make a statement by beating the top dog on WWE’s main roster.
Rhodes is a two-time WWE champion, and he has consistently been at or near the mountaintop ever since returning to the company four years ago at WrestleMania 38.
He held a massive experience advantage over Femi since The Ruler didn’t make his in-ring debut until late 2022. However, what Femi lacks in experience, he more than makes up for in size and strength.
Rhodes vs. Femi was arguably the most intriguing matchup on Saturday’s entire card, but McIntyre’s interference brought it to a premature ending.
