Drew McIntyre Reacts To Anniversary Of WWE Release
As Drew McIntyre prepares for another World Heavyweight Title shot, he looks back on his past when WWE released him ten years earlier.
Drew McIntyre will have the home-country advantage at the WWE Clash at the Castle PLE on June 15th as he challenges Damian Priest for the World Heavyweight Championship in Glasgow, Scotland.
It should be a rabid crowd at the OVO Hydro that wants to see McIntyre win back the title he held for less than six minutes at WrestleMania 40 over two months ago.
While Damian Priest and Drew McIntyre are considered top heels when WWE shows occur in the United States or Canada, the Scottish fans should be strongly behind their countrymate for the first PLE ever to take place in Scotland.
The WWE cameras have been following McIntyre around as he returned to Scotland and they also filmed him as he reflected on what happened ten years earlier on June 12th, 2014. That was the day when McIntyre was among the ten WWE superstars released from their contracts. As McIntyre noted on social media, his name and photo weren’t even part of the headline.
“Brodus Clay, Evan Bourne, Teddy Long, Curt Hawkins and other WWE Superstars released. That was 10 years ago today. I was one of the ‘others.’ Not in the picture. 10 years ago was the best thing that ever happened because I ended up right back here in ICW, found myself as a performer, found myself as a man, grew business outside of WWE and 10 years later main event of Clash at the Castle. Not bad for other.”
June 12, 2014:
Brodus Clay, Evan Bourne, Teddy Long, Curt Hawkins and other WWE Superstars released.
I didn't even make the headline.
10 years later I am the headline. #WWECastlepic.twitter.com/y4a0Md2323
— Drew (@DMcIntyreWWE) June 12, 2024
What Has Drew McIntyre Done Since Returning To WWE?
As McIntyre noted in the video above, he went on to grow as a man and a performer in his time away from WWE. Three years after his release in 2017, McIntyre returned to WWE and three years after that became WWE Champion for the first time. McIntyre is now a three-time WWE World Heavyweight Champion who is obviously looking to add to that total.
On the final WWE Raw episode before the Clash PLE, Drew McIntyre beat Finn Balor in the main event. Per the stipulation, that means that The Judgment Day group that Damian Priest is a part of will be barred from ringside.
Drew McIntyre also re-signed a multi-year deal with WWE that will remain in the main event scene for years to come. It’s expected that his rivalry with CM Punk should heat up even more this summer when Punk returns to the ring soon.