Untold Story Behind WWE Champion Drew McIntyre

They were typically eloquent and evocative words from a man who's now firmly established as one of the best in the entire business for delivering them, but even in the emotional glow of the post-match celebration, they rang true for everyone in attendance. Drew took the microphone and, despite claiming he couldn't live up to his friend's expert delivery, spoke the following...

"This is my last match in the independent scene. When I found out I was going to be working Cody, and that Stu was going to be on commentary, I couldn't have been more happy. There's a guy who's taken their career into their own hands and thanks to the state of professional wrestling all across the world right now, we are thriving. I want to thank you all, and I'm going to make you a promise right here. I'm doing it for us, I'm doing it for everyone here. I will be the first f***ing British World Heavyweight Champion."

Many before him have rolled the dice on their careers at this stage. Heading straight to (or straight back to) WWE while at the peak of their indy powers, but just 2 years, 11 months, and 7 days later, he'd proved it was a gamble worth taking. Drew Galloway was the chosen one, but it was his choices that made it all possible.

In signing off the show that night, Stu Bennett (Wade Barrett) offered the following; "He has told me personally that the highlight of career in terms of having fun and enjoyment was right here in WCPW. This is the segment of his career he's currently most proud of".

While that's unlikely to still be true in the wake of WrestleMania 35, if it was for even a brief few months in 2017 then this, just like all the other stories that led us to that historic moment in the Performance Centre this past weekend, is one that's worth telling.

On behalf of everyone who worked to make those WCPW shows what they were, thank you Drew, for keeping that promise. As the old saying goes, you deserve it.