Picture Credit: Drew McIntyre’s Instagram
Drew McIntyre was once dubbed as the ‘Chosen One’ in WWE. The former WWE Chairman, Vince McMahon, himself took the responsibility of introducing him to the fans, calling him the ‘future world champion’. The Scottish star indeed became a champion, but it took him more than a decade to train the feat since Mr. McMahon brought him to the forefront and counted on him to succeed.
After his initial success in the late 2000s as the Intercontinental Champion, Drew McIntyre’s career went downhill following an unwanted losing streak. The series of defeats would hurt his position in WWE, changing him to a jobber.
Drew’s WWE career saw another sharp decline once he joined 3 MB, consisting of Jinder Mahal and Heath Slater. The group took part in ludicrous and seldom managed a win in the squared circle. Hence, in his first WWE tenure, instead of becoming once promising ‘future world champion’, a young Drew McIntyre in his late 20s turns into a laughing stock, proving Vince McMahon’s prediction wrong.
The former genius WWE Chairman, who was the mastermind behind the greatest characters in the business, failed to utilize the Scotsman’s true potential. The unanswered question is what went wrong for McIntyre for him in the first run, which he rectified in the second tenure, returning to the promotion in 2017. In his seven-year career during his second tenure, McIntyre has had two WWE Chamship accolades: a Royal Rumble win and a WrestleMania main event.
Let’s analyze the main qualities Drew McIntyre lacked in his first WWE run, which turned him into a jobber instead of a world champion.
4) Lacked A Believable Gimmick
One of the major foundations of every top star in WWE is a solid gimmick. From Stone Cold Steve Austin, Hulk Hogan, The Rock, to John Cena, each main event star possessed a strong persona. Once Drew McIntyre returned to WWE in 2017, he ensured to portray a strong character that gave him a main-event level push.
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McIntyre currently has an incredible gimmick, known as the Scottish Warrior. Wearing a Scottish Kilt and bringing a big sword, he indeed looks like a warrior matching towards the ring.
In contrast, amid his first WWE tenure, he lacked a strong gimmick that could have made a similar impact. He was called the ‘Chosen One’, but he didn’t back it up once the losing streak began. He became a target of jokes as part of 3MB.
3) Didn’t Have An Impressive Physique
One profound change noticed between the young Drew McIntyre in his first WWE run, and the current version is his physique. Standing at 6 feet and 5 inches, the British wrestler always possessed a tall stature. Nonetheless, his earlier physique lacked strong muscle development.
Currently, Drew has one of the best physiques on the WWE roster. Adding significant muscle mass, he has broader shoulders and overall better upper body development. On the other hand, his legs have toned up, establishing a body that exemplifies a WWE Superstar.
Wearing his leather sleeveless jacket with long hair, McIntyre’s physique speaks volumes of his hard work and dedication. When he carried the WWE Championship, it looked flawless on his shoulders and waist.
2) Mic Skills
It’s normal for a young WWE Superstar to be not top-notch on the microphone, except for the likes of John Cena or The Rock, who were smooth talkers from the beginning of their respective careers. When Drew McIntyre first arrived in WWE, he had the look and in-ring dexterity, but his microphone presence was subpar. In his first reign in WWE, he never cut a noteworthy promo worth remembering.
However, Drew McIntyre, today has gone through a complete transformation. In each of his current promos, the delivery, the tonality, and the expression seem impeccable.
His improved promo work has been a primary reason behind his success as a main event star. Recently, the 39-year-old went toe-to-toe with one of the geniuses on the mic, CM Punk, creating an intense feud without any title involved. Similarly, his microphone work during rivalries with Randy Orton, Roman Reigns, Brock Lesnar, and Bobby Lashley elevated him to stardom, establishing him as one of the best talkers of today.
1) In-Ring presence And Confidence
In WWE, the in-ring order and confidence set apart from the best from the average. While Drew McIntyre’s mic skills are derived from his confidence, some other qualities morphed him into a different talent that he lacked in his initial WWE days.
He overhauled his in-ring persona and worked on his self-confidence during his time away from WWE. From 2014 to 2017, he wrestled for different independent promotions and TNA, winning the TNA World Heavyweight Champion. That phase helped him build the necessary skills to remain at the top while building the trick of connecting with the audience.
Once he returned to WWE, it was visible as soon as he stepped foot in the squared circle. Due to a change in persona and attitude for the better, the Scottish Warrior was able to deliver remarkable matches and rivalries consistently, first in NXT, where he won the NXT Championship, and then on the main roster, where he fulfilled his dream of capturing the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 36 by pinning Brock Lesnar.
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Avik Das is an English Literature graduate with an experience of over six years as a professional writer. He has written for renowned publications such as The Sportster, Sportskeeda, Pinkvilla, and The Things
