WWE SmackDown results, recap, grades: Drew McIntyre puts Cody Rhodes through a table before title match

McIntyre's mind games have Rhodes out of sorts before WWE Saturday Night's Main Event

Drew McIntyre is a big thorn in Cody Rhodes' side. McIntyre continued to get the better of Rhodes physically and mentally on WWE SmackDown, but it only matters if it translates to their match at Saturday Night's Main Event.

Rhodes' mental game is anything but bulletproof. Over the last few weeks, McIntyre has managed to get under the undisputed WWE champion's skin, forcing emotional outbursts and poor decisions. McIntyre's mind games continued to plague Rhodes on Friday ahead of their impending title match.

SmackDown also featured the continuation of Ilja Dragunov's United States championship open challenge, plus a verbal showdown between WWE women's champion Tiffany Stratton and Jade Cargill before Saturday's title match.

CBS Sports was with you all night with recaps and highlights of all the action from the Delta Center in Salt Lake City.

McIntyre's mind games get the better of Rhodes

SmackDown's closed with a contract signing between Rhodes and McIntyre for their title match at Saturday Night's Main Event. McIntyre refused the contract, claiming it was lopsided. Traditionally, a champion cannot lose their title by disqualification or countout. After Rhodes intentionally disqualified himself a few weeks ago, McIntyre wanted assurances that it wouldn't happen again. Rhodes agreed to the amendment and convinced SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis to sign off on it. 

McIntyre shunned Rhodes for being a corporate man, calling himself the true "American Dream" -- a reference to Rhodes' late legendary father, "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes. The champion clapped back by referencing their parallel roads from undesirable to undeniable. Rhodes pointed out how he left the WWE to prove himself. By contrast, McIntyre waited around to be fired. 

Rhodes tried to leave with the last word, but McIntyre had a low blow ready to go. McIntyre wondered how Rhodes felt not being home on Halloween night, trick-or-treating with his daughters. McIntyre fled before Rhodes could attack him, but McIntyre rolled back in the ring and laid him out with a surprise Claymore kick. McIntyre powerbombed Rhodes to close the show.

A textbook segment done right. McIntyre was right to stand his ground and demand an amendment to the match stipulation. Rhodes, a fighting champion, was always going to accept the clause. Their match has the added wrinkle that McIntyre could game the system to steal the title. Both superstars were sharp on the microphone as well. It's hard to get excited about yet another retread of the same old feud, but in isolation, SmackDown's closing angle was done very well. Grade: B+

What else happened on WWE SmackDown?

• Jade Cargill and Tiffany Stratton were separated by security before they could brawl.
• United States Championship -- Ilja Dragunov def. Nathan Frazer via pinfall with an H Bomb to retain the U.S. title.
• Carmelo Hayes def. Kit Wilson via pinfall after hitting a codebreaker. Post-match, The Miz laid out Hayes.
• Alexa Bliss def. Nia Jax via pinfall with a flash rollup after a distraction from Charlotte Flair.
• MFTs (Tama Tonga & JC Mateo) def. Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) via pinfall after Tonga hit cutthroat on Sabin. Post-match, Rey Fenix and Shinsuke Nakamura tried to rescue MCMG but were laid out.