A new era begins next weekend as Saturday Night’s Main Event transitions to a streaming-only experience, airing exclusively on Peacock on Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. ET.
The change could offer a near-premium live-event
experience, with few — or even no — ad breaks during matches. If so, the timing couldn’t be better.
With John Cena’s final match scheduled for Saturday Night’s Main Event in December, next week’s card is stacked, featuring three world title bouts. Each carries high stakes and significant implications, making this arguably the most pivotal Saturday Night’s Main Event ever.
The Times They Are A-Changin’
Since joining WWE, Jade Cargill has often felt miscast. Known in AEW as a confident, self-assured star who called herself “That Bitch,” she never fit the mold of a happy, smiling babyface in WWE.
That changed Friday night on SmackDown when she turned heel on WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton, injuring Stratton’s knee.
And so the pieces are in place for a new champion to be crowned: Stratton, at less than 100%, has an out if she loses. As for Cargill, her sudden shift in attitude could result in an immediate payoff.
It has to.
Since returning from an injury angle at the hands of Naomi, Cargill has struggled as a solo act. Her quest for revenge brought an amicable end to her tag team with Bianca Belair.
In June, Cargill regained her momentum after defeating Asuka to win the Queen of the Ring. She followed up with a decisive victory over Naomi at Evolution to end their feud.
But after losing to Stratton at SummerSlam, her push stalled as WWE seemed to lose confidence in Cargill as her failures mounted on TV and at house shows.
That’s why Friday’s heel turn feels like a reset button — one that could finally unlock the version of Cargill fans saw dominate AEW. With one SmackDown left before next Saturday, she has another chance to impress viewers with her new edge and reestablish herself as a top-tier threat.
But if she loses, Saturday Night’s Main Event could mark the end of the Cargill experiment in WWE.
Ironically, next weekend marks the end of daylight saving time — a fitting omen, perhaps, for the end of “Tiffy Time.”
A Must-win Situation
The most intriguing match on the card is the Undisputed WWE Title bout between champion Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre.
The bout was made official last week by WWE and announced on social media. The story between the two continued on SmackDown as McIntyre insisted he had nothing to do with a backstage attack on Jacob Fatu. After beating Jimmy Uso in a “No Disqualification” match, he continued to assault Uso as he proclaimed his innocence. Rhodes tried to make a save, but McIntyre left him lying to end the show.
Since losing the WWE Title in 2021, McIntyre has had just two wins in world title matches on TV and at premium live events: a win over Seth Rollins for the World Title at WrestleMania XL — which he lost moments later to Damian Priest — and a disqualification victory over Rhodes on the Oct. 17 episode of SmackDown.
For McIntyre, a win is crucial to remain a credible world title contender.
Meanwhile, Rhodes has yet to recapture the magic of his first title reign. With only two defenses in his second reign as champion — both against McIntyre — a sudden loss could hurt his image.
However, the ongoing “Who attacked Jacob Fatu?” mystery could provide WWE an out, with Fatu potentially costing McIntyre the match if he believes McIntyre was behind the attack. Short of a title change, that might be the company’s only way to protect both men.
A New Champion Will be Crowned — Maybe
Any doubts about the legitimacy of Seth Rollins’ shoulder injury have finally been laid to rest. It’s real, and it cost Rollins the World Heavyweight Title.
On Raw, General Manager Adam Pearce confirmed the injury and stripped Rollins of the championship. He announced that the winner of Raw’s battle royal would face CM Punk — who had already earned a title shot — at the Nov. 1 episode of Saturday Night’s Main Event for the now-vacant title.
Jey Uso won the battle royal, setting up a showdown with CM Punk. Punk, who had won a triple threat on the Oct. 13 episode of Raw to become No. 1 contender, was featured front and center on the official event poster, signaling he could be next in line for the gold.
Meanwhile, Uso is starting to resemble his cousin Roman Reigns on his path back to the title. In the battle royal, he eliminated his brother Jimmy, who helped protect him during the match. Afterward, an irate Jimmy glared at his twin as Jey shrugged him off and basked in the spotlight.
This raises the question: if Jey can turn on his brother, what might he do to Punk?
But the story doesn’t end there.
For their (kayfabe) role in Rollins’ injury, Pearce barred Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed from competing in the battle royal. They could disrupt the Punk-Uso match in retaliation, preventing a clear winner. Reports suggested that the real reason Breakker was kept out was to avoid looking weak in an elimination, with plans to put the title on him at a bigger event.
With so much uncertainty, next week’s card is impossible to predict — making this Saturday Night’s Main Event a must-see show from start to finish.
