Drew McIntyre may regret the bumper WWE contract he signed last year as WrestleMania 41 looks to cement their plans for the main event scene.
The Scottish star was arguably the best-performing wrestler in WWE last year. His battles with CM Punk, both on the microphone and in the ring, captured the fan’s imagination like nobody has done in years (maybe decades).
Last year at WrestleMania Drew McIntyre won (and lost, almost immediately) the World Heavyweight Championship to cement himself as a main eventer in the WWE.
Sadly, the outlook for him at WrestleMania looks a lot bleaker.
Drew McIntyre Signed A New Contract With WWE Last Year
In April last year, Drew McIntyre ended any speculation about his future by signing a new contract with the WWE.
He had teased leaving the company due to being unhappy for months but quelled any fears by penning the new deal. Drew McIntyre’s new contract was for three years, lasting until April 2027 and expiring just after WrestleMania 43.
This gave the 39-year-old assurances that he was valued by the WWE and Triple H in particular. Almost immediately after extending his contract, Drew McIntyre was thrust into contention for the World Heavyweight Championship and a multi-month feud with CM Punk.
Things were looking great for the Scot but it wasn’t all rosy for Drew McIntyre.
He Might Regret Signing The Deal With The Current WrestleMania Plans
Sadly, pretty soon after he signed his contract with the WWE, Drew McIntyre’s booking got worse and worse. He did win the Money in the Bank but failed the subsequent cash-in on Damian Priest.
He had another chance to win the belt at Clash at the Castle in his hometown of Glasgow. However, CM Punk traversed the ocean to dress up as a referee and screw him out of the championship.
CM Punk vs Drew McIntyre was a huge feud and a big selling point of signing a new contract. However, the American had the better of the Scot for the bulk of the matches. He won two of their three encounters, including the rubber match inside Hell in a Cell at Bad Blood 2024.
Since then, Drew McIntyre has faced loss after loss and loss. For the rest of 2024, he only managed to beat Sami Zayn while his Royal Rumble performance ended when Damian Priest threw him over the top rope with very little fanfare.
It looks like Drew McIntyre will face Damian Priest at WrestleMania 41, which is nowhere near where he’d like to be. Considering his work in the first three-quarters of 2024, he seemed the perfect foil for the uber-babyface Cody Rhodes in a battle for the WWE Championship.
However, with John Cena set to battle Rhodes and Gunther defending his world title against Jey Uso, there is no place in the main event for Drew McIntyre.
A mid-card match with little heat as an afterthought on the biggest show of the year is not what Drew McIntyre would have been expecting when he signed his new contract with the WWE last year.
Should Drew McIntyre Have Joined AEW Instead?
When Drew McIntyre signed his new contract with WWE last year there was serious interest from Tony Khan to bring him into AEW.
Had he made the choice to let his contract expire, it is almost certain that AEW would have signed the former WWE Champion. With the potential to be both a top face and a top heel, there would have been limitless options for McIntyre to wrestle dream matches in the promotion.
The big allure of wrestling for AEW would have been All In. With the long and storied history of wrestling at Wembley Stadium, Drew McIntyre would have loved to wrestle in the biggest show in UK history.
With fellow Britons like Will Ospreay, Jamie Hayter and Toni Storm (Yes, she is British!), he would fit right into AEW. He’s also wrestled stars like Jon Moxley and Bryan Danielson in WWE so he would feel right at home.
The opportunity for first-time-ever matches with stars who’ve never wrestled in WWE is also enticing. Imagining a clash between Drew McIntyre and Kazuchika Okada, Adam Page or Kenny Omega is simply mouthwatering.
Sadly it will be at least two more years until Drew McIntyre’s contract expires. If his booking doesn’t improve by then and his WrestleMania prospects aren’t more enticing then I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Scot looking outside of the WWE for his next destination.
