Royal Rumble 2025 Fallout: Drew McIntyre Mad At LA Knight, "Nothing" WrestleMania Match (WWE News)

LA Knight revealed as Drew McIntyre's antagoniser as "nothing match" planned for WrestleMania 41.

Drew McIntyre WWE Royal Rumble 2025
WWE

LA Knight has been revealed as the wrestler Drew McIntyre was "screaming and cursing about" for "getting their moves in" at WWE Royal Rumble 2025.

Per Fightful Select, a source has indicated that Knight was the subject of McIntyre's frustration. This follows PWInsider's weekend report that McIntyre had stormed out of Lucas Oil Stadium "well before" the men's Royal Rumble had finished as a result of a then-unnamed wrestler working their spots to the bout's detriment.

Fightful's new report states that McIntyre was to be eliminated by Damian Priest before Logan Paul's entrance, to start a WrestleMania 41 storyline. Priest did end up eliminating McIntyre but presumably not in the place planned.

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PWinsider has also published a new report on the McIntyre situation, stating that "something went amiss" with Drew's elimination, when "LA Knight backed up into Jey Uso, Priest and McIntyre as they headed towards the ropes for the spot."

The general feeling amongst PWInsider's sources is that Knight's "errant movement killed the drama and momentum of the spot," hence McIntyre's frustration. Something that was meant to resonate as a bigger moment landed in a "clunky manner." One source downplayed the controversy, however, acknowledging McIntyre's anger but stating WWE could tweak the spot in post-production.

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Drew McIntyre Set For "Nothing Match" At WWE WrestleMania 41

WWE Raw Drew McIntyre
WWE

Daily Mail's Lewis Browning also has an exclusive on the Drew McIntyre/Royal Rumble 2025 fallout, learning, as other outlets have, that the situation was genuine and not a work.

Interestingly, the Mail also note that a source has described Drew's seemingly impending WrestleMania 41 bout with Damian Priest as a "nothing match," adding that after "the most successful year of his career in 2024", McIntyre believes he deserves a more prominent feud.

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WWE recently transferred Priest from Raw to SmackDown, suggesting Damian's program with McIntyre will play out on Friday nights.

McIntyre defeated Seth Rollins to briefly become WWE World Heavyweight Champion at WrestleMania 40 last April. His celebrations lasted mere minutes, as Priest successfully cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase following McIntyre's spat with CM Punk, which accelerated one of 2024's most acclaimed WWE rivalries.

WrestleMania 41 occurs in Las Vegas, Nevada on 19 and 20 April 2025. After winning the 2025 men's Royal Rumble, Jey Uso declared during the post-show press conference that he would challenge for Gunther's World Heavyweight Championship. Cody Rhodes' opponent as Undisputed WWE Champion will likely be determined at February's Elimination Chamber 2025. Elsewhere, women's Royal Rumble winner Charlotte Flair will challenge Women's World Champion Rhea Ripley or WWE Women's Champion Tiffany Stratton.

Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.