Drew McIntyre was a recent guest on DC101 with Mike Jones to promote WrestleMania, RAW in Washington, DC and tonight’s Smackdown at Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore.
Drew McIntyre spoke about calling out complacency backstage, saying he sees it happening a lot, and is reminded of his own journey back to WWE and through the independent scene:
“People that reminded me of the younger version of myself, who did not deserve to be a part of WWE, the number one company in the world—I’m gonna eradicate and I’m gonna call them out. I see it across the board, I see people just complaining on social media and complaining backstage and I don’t see them doing anything to better themselves or better their position, and if anything, getting in worse shape and they don’t particularly have a spectacular match, so why are you gonna put them in a better position? I’m here to say like, “hey, if you don’t like it, then maybe try it my way. You can leave the company, you can quit and go try it the way I tried because I assure you it is not that easy. There are only a couple of us, like me and Cody Rhodes, that went out there and really done something without the company. You can do it, it is there, but it is very hard work and I don’t recommend it. You’re in WWE now, so why not figure it out now and give it 110% now instead of just complaining?”
McIntyre also spoke about his re-debut with WWE in NXT, saying he’s a much-improved wrestler since people last saw him in many ways:
“It was great. I was just hoping they knew who I was. I looked like the new Drew McIntyre ate the old ‘DM’ and then grew a beard and chest hair. It felt comfortable. I felt so tense and like a robot in the past. I felt like it was meant to be. It’s great to be relaxed. I felt so tense on TV tapings; the crowd can tell if you are tense just by looking in your eyes. If you look at my eyes during my first run I’ve got a terrified expression half the time like a deer in headlights. This time if you look in my eyes it’s laser focused every time.”
Drew says starting with NXT was a tough decision, but it ultimately made a lot of sense after talking to Triple H about it, and he ultimately found the time rewarding:
“It was a tough decision to decide to come back until I spoke with Triple H on the phone. He’d been watching what I was doing, he was very proud and made it clear that it was time to come home. We both decided NXT was the place to start because of the hardcore fanbase that had been following my career outside of the company. That was the best way to reintroduce myself. I got to be a part of NXT and a leader there, which I enjoyed more than anything.”
In regards to his upcoming WrestleMania match with Roman Reigns, McIntyre says he does feel nervous, but the match will deliver because of their similarities and because there’s nothing else like it on the match card:
“I got the butterflies. I’ve got the nerves; the day that stops is the day I retire. I feel beyond ready and with someone like Roman, who like you say is used to that big stage, a phenomenal performer and so physical like myself. I know we’re bringing something that no one else will be able to compete with because we’re two big physical guys. It’s going to be a war. It’s going to be great.”
Read More: Drew McIntyre on His Original WWE Run: ‘I Wasn’t Achieving My Potential’
(Transcription credit to Mike Jones / DC 101 with h/t to Wrestlezone)
