4 Reasons why Cody Rhodes vs. Drew McIntyre is headlining WWE Wrestlepalooza

Despite John Cena initially being promoted as the headliner for WWE Wrestlepalooza, it was announced this week that his match with Brock Lesnar would open the event.

Cody Rhodes vs. Drew McIntyre will receive the honor of closing the first-time PLE. It would be easy to justify Cena and The Beast closing the event.

They've feuded across decades and are two of the sport's biggest names. Even AJ Lee's return to the ring with her husband, CM Punk, could have been selected as the main event.

While those matches have their stories to tell, Rhodes vs. McIntyre is likely closing Wrestlepalooza for any of the following four possible reasons.

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#4. Rhodes and McIntyre both promoted Wrestlepalooza

Along with carrying the company as the major champion comes a plethora of promotional work for stars like Rhodes and McIntyre.

The performers not only appear on RAW and SmackDown but also on ESPN programming, local radio, and news shows, as well as in commercials promoting the event.

Cena set the tone for that type of champion, but Lesnar doesn't do any of that. It makes sense for the guys who sell the product up and down to close the first-ever event on a new platform.

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#3. The American Nightmare is WWE's top star

John Cena was the face of WWE for most of his career. That spot changed, however, as he transitioned to part-time status and Rhodes became the flagship performer under Triple H.

He's a two-time Undisputed WWE Champion and tirelessly promotes the company and its partnerships. Roman Reigns main-evented every PLE he was a part of during his four-year run atop the company.

Despite not being a champion at WrestleMania 41, the story around Reigns, Punk, and Seth Rollins was enough to warrant the final slot on Saturday.

It makes sense for the top star to close shows while champion and Rhodes are just that. If he didn't hold the belt, it would be harder to justify the spot, especially since cases can be made for two of the other contests on the card.

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#2. The Undisputed Title is WWE's top prize

While the World Heavyweight Championship and Women's Championships are important pieces of WWE, the fact remains that specific titles are considered more prestigious than others.

The World Heavyweight Title was brought back to counter Reigns' grasp on the Undisputed Title. Despite holding the same spot as SmackDown's top prize, RAW's major title has changed hands four times since April.

By contrast, Cena and Rhodes swapped the WWE Title this year. Officials want the promotion's most prestigious championship to close the first-ever Wrestlepalooza on ESPN's streaming platform.

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#1. Potentially set up a big post-match confrontation

Wrestlepalooza will witness Rhodes' first defense in his second run with the Undisputed Title. Barring any catastrophic surprises, he's likely to retain his title against The Scottish Warrior.

Match placement is also important when crafting a card. When a title match takes place in the middle of RAW or SmackDown, it telegraphs that the titleholder will keep their championships.

By putting Rhodes vs. McIntyre on last, it sets up the potential for a huge post-match showdown. Lesnar may be opening Wrestlepalooza, but he could easily blindside Rhodes to cap off the event.

Gunther could return to challenge Rhodes, as they have had a rivalry over the last two-plus years. Those moments would certainly be buzzworthy to get fans talking about Wrestlepalooza, like WWE hopes they will.

Edited by Angana Roy