Drew McIntyre has been a prominent figure in WWE since his 2019 return, excelling in both midcard and main event roles, capturing three world titles, headlining WrestleMania, and engaging with top WWE stars. In 2024, his compelling heel persona marked a career peak, hinting at major successes in 2025. However, the opposite occurred, revealing WWE’s apparent disregard for McIntyre and signaling a need for significant changes to revive his career.
Despite a standout 2024 where McIntyre’s heel turn rejuvenated his image, including a brief World Heavyweight Title win at WrestleMania and a celebrated feud with CM Punk, his 2025 trajectory fell short of fan expectations. Instead of competing for marquee titles or spotlight bouts with stars like Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes, McIntyre found himself in a disappointing feud with Damian Priest, whose own status had declined, leading to fan and McIntyre frustration.
Following this, Priest moved into the U.S. Title scene with a less than notable title shot at Backlash and feuded with Randy Orton, while McIntyre’s ongoing feud with Orton fizzled out with a typical RKO finish. McIntyre’s unexpected alliance with Logan Paul in late 2024 further weakened his heel character, undermining the depth and intensity that had recently defined him. Concurrently, Jelly Roll’s feud with Orton took center stage, leaving McIntyre marginalized.
In the latter part of his WWE tenure, McIntyre’s resurgence seemed hopeful when he returned to the SmackDown main event to challenge Cody Rhodes for the WWE Championship. However, this storyline fell flat as McIntyre was consistently undermined and humiliated by referees and management, lacking the impactful storytelling of his CM Punk rivalry. The feud appeared rushed and failed to convince fans that McIntyre had a real chance to win the title, reinforcing Rhodes’ star power while diminishing McIntyre’s status.
Meanwhile, WWE clearly prioritizes top-tier stars such as Roman Reigns, CM Punk, Seth Rollins, Brock Lesnar, and emerging talent like Bron Breaker. McIntyre now ranks low in this hierarchy, making it difficult for him to re-enter the WrestleMania main event scene or reclaim world championship gold. Like many before him, McIntyre may settle into a role where he elevates new champions without receiving due recognition from WWE leadership.
Although McIntyre possesses immense talent, a possible babyface turn might rekindle fan support and provide a fresh direction, but his present course looks bleak.
Fan Take: This situation is significant for WWE fans because Drew McIntyre has proven himself a major star with considerable talent, and his current underutilization reflects broader issues in how WWE manages experienced wrestlers. If WWE fails to recalibrate McIntyre’s role, it could not only waste a valuable asset but also disappoint fans who crave compelling storylines and strong main event competitors.
