3 mistakes WWE has made with Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania
Drew McIntyre has been on a stellar run in WWE, and it could be capped with a monumental win at WrestleMania XL. That is if he doesn't become the casualty of yet another questionable booking decision.
Every WrestleMania season, the WWE creative team has an uphill task to do justice to a plethora of stories involving top names in the company. As a result, some of their choices could adversely affect the momentum of multiple wrestlers.
Drew McIntyre isn't a stranger to the aforementioned dilemma. There have been multiple instances of WWE pulling the rug from under The Scottish Warrior's feet, just when he was on the verge of taking flight. Despite that, the 2020 Royal Rumble winner managed to rise back to prominence every single time.
That said, let's list down three mistakes that WWE has made with Drew McIntyre at The Show of Shows.
#3 Unsuccessful WrestleMania debut
The Undertaker, Batista, Rey Mysterio, CM Punk, John Cena, DX, and Randy Orton made sure that the main event picture in 2009 had no empty spaces.
Despite such rigid competition, then-newcomer Drew McIntyre managed to carve out a stable spot for himself on The blue brand. Not only that but he also won the Intercontinental Championship before the year's end. His 'Chosen One' gimmick and association with Mr. McMahon had fans convinced that he was destined for instant greatness.
Thanks to the Chairman himself, McIntyre got three chances to qualify for the Money in the Bank ladder match at WrestleMania 26. That was his 'Mania debut, and a dirty win could've effortlessly elevated him as one of the top heels in the company. It turned out that was indeed the plan at one stage.
Instead, Jack Swagger won the match, successfully cashed it in within a week, and went on a lackluster World Heavyweight Championship title run. As for Drew McIntyre, he lost his push in the summer of 2010, and continued slipping down the card until his release in 2014.
#2 Failure to capture the WWE Championship in his first match in front of live fans since March 2020
When the world went into lockdown in March 2020, WWE had no choice but to carry on without having live crowds in attendance.
That led to the company hosting its first WrestleMania event in front of zero fans. Drew McIntyre headlined that one-of-a-kind WrestleMania and defeated Brock Lesnar to win his first WWE Championship. It was a bummer because The Scottish Warrior deserved to celebrate his long-awaited crowning moment with the WWE Universe.
Fast forward to April 2021, WrestleMania 37 became the first WWE show to have paying fans in attendance in over a year. The opening bout of the night featured Bobby Lashley successfully defending the WWE Championship against Drew McIntyre.
Even though Lashley deserved every bit of his victory, fans couldn't help but feel sympathy for McIntyre. It was his chance to finally get his big moment in front of a passionate crowd, and he came up short. That didn't seem like a fair reward for the tremendous work that The Scottish Warrior did throughout 2020.
#1 A Sad Clash with Happy Corbin at The Grandest Stage of Them All
Competing at WrestleMania is no less than a privilege. That's why every wrestler needs to make sure that they do something memorable at every 'Mania they get to be a part of.
Unfortunately, Drew McIntyre didn't have much to work with at WrestleMania 38. Heading into the Show of Shows, he was engaged in a feud with Happy Corbin and his hysterical sidekick, Madcap Moss. Now, there's no denying that Corbin has an impressive moveset. However, his excessively joyful gimmick neither did him nor his opponents any favors.
So, when it was announced that Happy Corbin would be facing Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania 38, fans couldn't help but learn the lyrics to 'Broken Dreams'. With almost all the top stars, such as Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, and Kevin Owens performing in big-time bouts, the two-time World Champion should've been part of a prominent contest too.
Yes, McIntyre became the first person to kick out of Corbin's protected 'End of Days' finisher and sliced the middle and top ropes. Despite that, the match in question and the wild aftermath were, at best, forgettable.
Do you think Drew McIntyre will finally have a WrestleMania for all to remember? Sound off in the comments section below!