Kemo
05-10-2021, 07:58 PM
WWE’s Drew McIntyre stopped by the The Rack Radio Show to discuss WrestleMania 36 and WrestleMania 37. The former WWE Champion talked about getting all excited for his big WrestleMania moment one year ago, only for the pandemic to get in the way.
“That was the dream, to become WWE Champion, I just didn’t expect it to happen in that fashion,” McIntyre said. “Seven years of work, finally I win the WWE Royal Rumble, I get my guaranteed title match at the biggest show of the year, Wrestlemania. I challenge Brock Lensar, UFC Champion, multiple time WWE Champion, an anomaly in our industry.
“The big match is coming, not only is it going to be at Wrestlemania, its gonna be Wrestlemania in my American Hometown, where I have lived for years, in Tampa, Florida, 80,000 people, family and friends from Scotland are there, wife is gonna be there, they are all in the front row. Fans rides behind me for the first time in my life in WWE. The reactions are at a fever pitch like I have never heard before, nothing could go wrong, then boom, pandemic.”
McIntyre would still get his WrestleMania moment by beating Lesnar for the WWE Championship in front of no fans. As WrestleMania 36 crept closer, McIntyre realized what an opportunity it still was, even if the moment wouldn’t play out the way he expected.
“I started to understand the gravity of the situation,” McIntyre said. “We were the only gig in town, we were bringing people an escape with Wrestlemania, my match was last, it had a bit of a feel good story and it could really put some smiles on faces across the world if I beat Brock and won the title. It was something that was really big to me and when I won the title it meant the world to me and I had my moment. It was in a quiet performance center with no fans there instead of 80,000, but I had my moment with the title, I beat Brock.
“It meant a lot to me. I watched it at home with everyone else, we taped it a week in advance, I was able to watch it live with the world, when the referee presented me with the title on television, my wife presented me with the title in real life, which was really cool and then I heard the feedback for Mania was just unbelievable and again we are talking about positivity, inspiring people and that’s what it is all about. To see the level of positivity for Wrestlemania was unbelievable. It was a Wrestlemania where the world stood still. It will never be forgotten and people will remember that night when Drew McIntyre beat Brock for the title, in front of nobody.”
This year WrestleMania 37 took place in front of fans, WWE’s first show with an audience in over a year. McIntyre talked about being uncertain as to how the crowd would react to him.
“It is interesting because as much as I was on the rise before Wrestlemania when we had the fans, I was lucky enough that I was getting the loudest responses at the time, the loudest of my career by far,” McIntyre said. “I’ve been in like a top position and in peoples faces for a year straight, with a lot of Drew content and sometimes if our fans aren’t digging something their attention will go else where and they might boo it.
“That’s the thing about our passionate fans, if they don’t like something, they will let you know and they will let you know loudly and I am fine with that. I love it, I will never get offended if they aren’t digging it, as long as they care one way or another. As long as they are react, if they boo, if they cheer, as long as they make noise. I was ready for anything. Realistically, you know, I am suppose to be the good guy but you never know, there has been a lot of Drew content, but we will see what happens. When I walked out for my entrance, to hear the level of cheer, I was taken aback, I was like ‘Wow, that’s pretty cool and pretty crazy’. You have seen a lot of Drew the past year and to still react so positively was so cool.”
On night one of WrestleMania 37 McIntyre came up short in reclaiming the WWE Championship from Bobby Lashley. For McIntyre the result worked because it plays more into the character of Drew McIntyre, who he feels is different from the prototypical top star.
“To hear the shock I think when Lashley at the end as well when he put me out from his finishing move the Hurt Lock was pretty cool as well,” McIntyre said. “I think everyone just expected Drew was going to win as well and have his moment with the fans this year. You know ‘he’s earned it, he’s worked so hard, he’s gonna get it and then it gets taken away and I think that’s important for the Drew McIntyre character
“I’m not Superman, I’m Batman and I have to be relatable. I am flawed as human, with all the ups and downs I have been through and I certainly haven’t had it easy the entire time. Why should I have it easy at Wrestlemania? I have to keep overcoming it at the same time while making top level superstar in Bobby Lashley, we need as many top level superstars as possible. To get that moment taken away, I’m still chasing that moment in front of the fans at Wrestlemania.”
“That was the dream, to become WWE Champion, I just didn’t expect it to happen in that fashion,” McIntyre said. “Seven years of work, finally I win the WWE Royal Rumble, I get my guaranteed title match at the biggest show of the year, Wrestlemania. I challenge Brock Lensar, UFC Champion, multiple time WWE Champion, an anomaly in our industry.
“The big match is coming, not only is it going to be at Wrestlemania, its gonna be Wrestlemania in my American Hometown, where I have lived for years, in Tampa, Florida, 80,000 people, family and friends from Scotland are there, wife is gonna be there, they are all in the front row. Fans rides behind me for the first time in my life in WWE. The reactions are at a fever pitch like I have never heard before, nothing could go wrong, then boom, pandemic.”
McIntyre would still get his WrestleMania moment by beating Lesnar for the WWE Championship in front of no fans. As WrestleMania 36 crept closer, McIntyre realized what an opportunity it still was, even if the moment wouldn’t play out the way he expected.
“I started to understand the gravity of the situation,” McIntyre said. “We were the only gig in town, we were bringing people an escape with Wrestlemania, my match was last, it had a bit of a feel good story and it could really put some smiles on faces across the world if I beat Brock and won the title. It was something that was really big to me and when I won the title it meant the world to me and I had my moment. It was in a quiet performance center with no fans there instead of 80,000, but I had my moment with the title, I beat Brock.
“It meant a lot to me. I watched it at home with everyone else, we taped it a week in advance, I was able to watch it live with the world, when the referee presented me with the title on television, my wife presented me with the title in real life, which was really cool and then I heard the feedback for Mania was just unbelievable and again we are talking about positivity, inspiring people and that’s what it is all about. To see the level of positivity for Wrestlemania was unbelievable. It was a Wrestlemania where the world stood still. It will never be forgotten and people will remember that night when Drew McIntyre beat Brock for the title, in front of nobody.”
This year WrestleMania 37 took place in front of fans, WWE’s first show with an audience in over a year. McIntyre talked about being uncertain as to how the crowd would react to him.
“It is interesting because as much as I was on the rise before Wrestlemania when we had the fans, I was lucky enough that I was getting the loudest responses at the time, the loudest of my career by far,” McIntyre said. “I’ve been in like a top position and in peoples faces for a year straight, with a lot of Drew content and sometimes if our fans aren’t digging something their attention will go else where and they might boo it.
“That’s the thing about our passionate fans, if they don’t like something, they will let you know and they will let you know loudly and I am fine with that. I love it, I will never get offended if they aren’t digging it, as long as they care one way or another. As long as they are react, if they boo, if they cheer, as long as they make noise. I was ready for anything. Realistically, you know, I am suppose to be the good guy but you never know, there has been a lot of Drew content, but we will see what happens. When I walked out for my entrance, to hear the level of cheer, I was taken aback, I was like ‘Wow, that’s pretty cool and pretty crazy’. You have seen a lot of Drew the past year and to still react so positively was so cool.”
On night one of WrestleMania 37 McIntyre came up short in reclaiming the WWE Championship from Bobby Lashley. For McIntyre the result worked because it plays more into the character of Drew McIntyre, who he feels is different from the prototypical top star.
“To hear the shock I think when Lashley at the end as well when he put me out from his finishing move the Hurt Lock was pretty cool as well,” McIntyre said. “I think everyone just expected Drew was going to win as well and have his moment with the fans this year. You know ‘he’s earned it, he’s worked so hard, he’s gonna get it and then it gets taken away and I think that’s important for the Drew McIntyre character
“I’m not Superman, I’m Batman and I have to be relatable. I am flawed as human, with all the ups and downs I have been through and I certainly haven’t had it easy the entire time. Why should I have it easy at Wrestlemania? I have to keep overcoming it at the same time while making top level superstar in Bobby Lashley, we need as many top level superstars as possible. To get that moment taken away, I’m still chasing that moment in front of the fans at Wrestlemania.”