4 Reasons why Cody Rhodes vs AJ Styles didn't main event WWE Clash at the Castle

At WWE Clash at the Castle, Cody Rhodes and AJ Styles opened the PLE with their I Quit Match. The American Nightmare has been feuding with the Phenomenal One since conquering Roman Reigns at WrestleMania XL. Tonight, he looked to finally put Styles in his rearview mirror.

As exciting as this match was, it's somewhat surprising that the Undisputed WWE Champion didn't headline the show. We saw with The Tribal Chief that the top dog in the promotion always took the spotlight, so why was Cody relegated to the opening contest?

We'll take a look at some reasons, both in kayfabe and otherwise.

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#4. Opening WWE Clash at the Castle with an I Quit match ensures a hot crowd

Regardless of how WWE Clash at the Castle opened, this Glasgow crowd was going to be on fire. However, bringing out two of the best to ever do it to open ensured that the packed crowd would be on their feet throughout the first bout.

As we've seen in WWE in recent years, there's nothing like a non-US crowd for a PLE. These fans are hungry for major events like this and will take every opportunity to cheer and chant. Much like Clash at the Castle two years prior, the fans in Glasgow didn't disappoint.

Not only were the fans singing every word to the American Nightmare's theme song tonight, but they did so long after it stopped playing. They brought out unique, and sometimes expletive-filled, chants that made the opening bout feel special.

Starting the show, and the crowd, with such heat can ensure we'll feel that energy throughout the whole night.

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#3. Nick Aldis punishing AJ Styles for faking his retirement

Since becoming the SmackDown General Manager, Nick Aldis has proven that he won't back down to anyone. While we saw The Bloodline berate, antagonize, and sometimes assault Adam Pearce, Aldis has not folded to any WWE Superstar.

We've seen him punish superstars on-screen many times in 2024, including banning The Bloodline from ringside at SmackDown last night. A week ago, though, fans saw Nick Aldis emphatically approve the I Quit stipulation for the Undisputed WWE Championship bout tonight. As you can see in the clip above, AJ Styles and The O.C. were furious with the GM.

Considering his willingness to stand up to his talent, it's possible he wanted to frustrate AJ Styles a bit more tonight. Normally the Undisputed WWE Championship would be the main event of every PLE on the schedule, but Aldis may have swapped things around to get under Styles' skin.

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#2. Cody Rhodes is NOT Roman Reigns, for better or worse

Cody Rhodes has gone out of his way to prove that he's "not like Roman Reigns." The American Nightmare can be seen weekly on SmackDown and sometimes appears on other brands like how he graced NXT with an appearance last week. Rhodes is also fighting all of his battles on his own, without a stable or his family running in every single match to save him.

He's the antithesis of Roman Reigns, and that also means knowing when to give up the spotlight to someone else. If you asked Rhodes who should mainevent the PLE today, odds are he'd agree that Drew McIntyre and Damian Priest have earned that spot. He's in touch with the audience and is willing to give them what they want rather than what he wants.

Does that weaken the status of the WWE Championship he carries with him? It's debatable. There are certainly fans who believe the prestige has fallen off since The Tribal Chief's reign ended, but it's also great to see others get that spotlight that was on a stranglehold for so long.

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#1. Drew McIntyre is the hometown hero for WWE Clash at the Castle

The most obvious answer to the question is that Drew McIntyre is gonna get the biggest reaction from this Glasgow, Scotland crowd. While he's not the only performer hailing from the country, with Piper Niven, Alba Fyre, and Isla Dawn representing as well, the Scottish Psychopath has the biggest story of the show.

Since late 2023, McIntyre has been one of the hottest wrestlers, not just in the promotion, but in the entire sport. While his story leading up to tonight has been quite relatable, with the veteran losing out on the most important pops of his career thanks to COVID, these fans are desperate to see him finally win top gold in his country.

McIntyre had the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand at Clash at the Castle in 2022, where he failed to take the Undisputed WWE Championship from Roman Reigns. Many, like the challenger, felt that they were deprived of a huge moment on that night, something that he still wants revenge for years later.

If McIntyre can secure the gold tonight, he'll receive one of the largest pops in WWE history. No matter how popular he is, Cody Rhodes would not be able to top that here.