How AEW Should Debut Drew McIntyre

The former WWE Champion could be the next big name to make the jump, but what awaits his landing?

Drew McIntyre AEW
AEW/WWE

What's going on with Drew McIntyre and WWE?

By the time you read this, that question may already have been answered. 'The Scottish Warrior' has been AWOL since WrestleMania 39 and is contracted until early 2024, but it's been left ambiguous whether or not one of SmackDown's top babyfaces is simply licking the many wounds sustained in that triple threat Intercontinental Championship match, or considering his options outside of the company completely.

There's smoke to that particular fire - there have been multiple reports about the uncertain status of the former WWE Champion, which have furthered the narrative that he may be exploring his options. It's a big summer to do it too. His current employers will hit the O2 in London for a sold-out Money In The Bank pay-per-view, while AEW has shot beyond that with the mammoth All In from Wembley Stadium two months later. Three years ago and with WWE flag firmly in hand, McIntyre wouldn't have missed one or the other for all the money in the world. He wanted the market leader to run a proper Premium Live Event in Great Britain, and he wanted the opportunity to be a major part of something resembling the SummerSlam.

He got both in 2022, but his Clash At The Castle misadventure will be remembered more for awkwardly singing away his heartbreak with Tyson Fury that finishing his own story and dethroning Roman Reigns. The proto-rubber chicken moment, it was the latest high-profile near-miss from the man that is still owed more from his 2020 stint in empty buildings than he ever received when crowds came back.

He knows this too. It's why the rumours persist, the questions remain unanswered, and the post-WrestleMania absence extended.

All of this is infinitely more interesting with Drew out of the WWE spotlight, because it gives people time to consider exactly what he'd look like under an AEW one...

CONT'D...

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Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett