Drew McIntyre, the former two-time WWE Champion, has recently voiced his ambitions to challenge Seth Rollins for the World Heavyweight Championship.
This revelation comes as McIntyre struggles in his return to the red brand, Raw, where his solo endeavors have enjoyed a limited amount of success since his move in April. While he did face a defeat against the Intercontinental Champion, GUNTHER, at SummerSlam, McIntyre still managed to team up with the likes of Matt Riddle.
However, in a candid interview with Essentially Sports, the Scottish Warrior revealed his determination to reclaim the world title – a triumph he last savored in February 2021. McIntyre noted, “I want to make sure I get on a good run and earn the right to fight for the world title with Seth, and hopefully, get the right to become world champion once again.”
His aspirations come on the back of an earlier unsuccessful bid at the WWE Clash at the Castle in September 2022 – a run that many considered was a missed opportunity for the WWE.
At the time, McIntyre was the top contender for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship held by Roman Reigns. The UK audience was on the edge of their seats as McIntyre seemed set for a victorious outcome. However, Reigns, as has been the case throughout his 1,000-day run, retained the title, courtesy of an intervention by Solo Sikoa.
Since then, McIntyre hasn’t been in contention for a top title belt, but that hasn’t stopped him from putting on excellent showings.
Despite the rumors of his potential departure following his loss against GUNTHER (can you sense the recurring theme here?), McIntyre came back at Money in the Bank, much to the cheer and adulation of his fans. Yet, once again, WWE is putting him on the backburner.
The good news is that this all seems to be a part of a much grander plan.
The complexity of WWE storylines continues to evolve, with McIntyre’s recent appearance on the September 4 episode of Monday Night RAW demonstrating his unresolved issues with the notorious Bloodline. A face-off with Jey Uso, who was “traded” to RAW after Cody Rhodes pulled some strings, was captured during this segment, only to be convoluted by Sami Zayn’s interruption. This dramatic turn of events set the stage for a clash between McIntyre and the former Bloodline member for the upcoming WWE RAW episode on September 18.
Monday Night RAW now has an embarrassment of riches – too many faces but only one dominant heel faction in The Judgment Day to play foil against.
Making out McIntyre into a tragic “villain” and a classic example of someone who’s “lived long enough to become the bad guy” is certainly a stroke of genius if pulled right. The only question is, is this what the WWE has in store for McIntyre?
If nothing else, McIntyre’s character has seen significant development since his return to WWE in 2017. While he has achieved laudable heights, including being a two-time WWE Champion, he’s yet to go on a meaningful title run in front of live audiences. After carrying the WWE on his back during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, McIntyre more than deserves his flowers.
The recent rumblings suggest WWE has extended McIntyre’s contract, guaranteeing his presence until WrestleMania 40 next year, which means that he might finally get his due by then.
With RAW currently seeking a dominant heel figure, McIntyre is a prime candidate. His interactions with The New Day and The Viking Raiders indicate a potential and inevitable heel turn.
If this all plays out the way that we think it will, McIntyre will become the top heel on Monday Night RAW after taking on Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 40, following which we’ll see The Visionary take a temporary leave of absence to have his back issue fixed. Cody Rhodes will then have finally triumphed over Roman Reigns by then, setting him up as the top face of Friday Night SmackDown. We still don’t know where Damian Priest and his Money in the Bank contract factors into all of this but we’re pretty sure the WWE can make it work in the interim.
