Drew McIntyre's return at Money In The Bank blew the roof off of the O2 Arena in London, and wrestling fans stateside are pretty psyched to see him back as well. The Scottish Warrior had been absent from the WWE since his loss at WrestleMania 39, but now he's back and seemingly has his sights on taking on Gunther for the Intercontinental Championship at SummerSlam. What's in store for McIntyre after that at future upcoming WWE events, though? The wrestler recently commented on the situation, with a rather cryptic response.
WWE's web program The Bump welcomed Drew McIntyre as a guest in the final segment of its program and talked to the superstar about various things. At the end of the interview, McIntyre was given a chance to talk to fans directly about anything he wished to say, and said the following:
I just want to apologize for everybody that I missed my dates. I missed the towns. You know, it's not like me unless there's a reason. Obviously, the rumor and innuendo is out there. What's thinking on with Drew McIntyre, what's going on with the future. The future doesn't matter. What matters is the present and presently, Drew McIntyre is back. And if you're heading to a WWE show Drew McIntyre is there, you know you’re gonna get 110%, and finally, I’m chasing that big moment with a title in front of live fans. So let’s make that happen finally.
McIntyre's reference to the "rumors and innuendos" is interesting, as there's been chatter this year that Drew McIntyre is on the final year of his contract and that it will officially expire in early 2024. Bleacher Report and others have reported on rumors that neither side has come to an agreement on the terms of his extension, and the months are dwindling down before he'd become a free agent and free to join other companies.
Drew McIntyre is currently one of the biggest superstars in the WWE, and has a special appeal to an international European audience. Should he leave the WWE for another brand like AEW, there's no question in my mind that he'd be toward the top if not the second or third most popular wrestler in the brand immediately. The former WWE champion is likely not someone the company wants to see walk away, which might be why he's being set up against Gunther at SummerSlam.
Drew McIntyre has openly expressed his want to win a major WWE title in front of a live audience ever since he had his championship run during pandemic lockdowns. McIntyre has remained near the top of WWE's important storylines since then, but it would be fair to say there's no clear path to him entering the conversation for the Undisputed and Heavyweight championships.
With that said, Gunther's phenomenal run as Intercontinental Champion has drastically elevated the importance of the title in the eyes of fans. It would be a major honor for McIntyre to defeat Gunther and claim the title, and possibly a way for WWE to instill confidence in the superstar that he'll still be valued on the roster should he renew his contract. Obviously, we won't know what happens until it does, so we can only wait and see what else is said in the coming months about his status with the company.
For now, fans can catch Drew McIntyre on Monday Night Raw on USA Network on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET. He's one of a few key superstars CinemaBlend believed would return before SummerSlam, so here's hoping some of the other names we mentioned will return before then as well.
