Wrestling news: Drew McIntyre changes the WrestleMania picture as WWE champion
With WrestleMania season underway, Drew McIntyre’s surprise WWE title win has opened the door to fresh challengers and unexpected storylines.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Mosaddek Abu discusses what McIntyre’s win means with WrestleMania season looming.
McIntyre’s long-awaited moment in front of fans
There was a major surprise on Friday’s episode of SmackDown as McIntyre defeated the American Nightmare Cody Rhodes in a brutal three stages of hell match.
The crowd in Berlin, Germany, was firmly behind the Scottish Psychopath, delivering a huge reaction as McIntyre escaped the cage to become WWE champion for the third time.
McIntyre’s first title win came in 2020 after winning the Royal Rumble and punching his ticket to WrestleMania.
However, there were no fans in attendance due to the global shutdown, denying him the chance to properly soak in the moment.
It has been a long road back. McIntyre has fallen short on several occasions in recent years and, most recently, held the World Heavyweight championship for just five minutes and 46 seconds at WrestleMania 40 before being cashed in on.
This time, he captured the title on European soil before celebrating with fans at a live event in Glasgow, Scotland, over the weekend.
It was a moment long overdue and a testament to McIntyre’s work during this recent heel run.
His feud with CM Punk in particular helped cement his character, and this championship victory has now fully solidified it.
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A title change that reshapes the WrestleMania landscape
McIntyre winning the title opens up new opponents and creative directions with WrestleMania firmly on the horizon.
The switch has injected uncertainty and unpredictability into the blue brand, keeping fans guessing as the countdown to the Show of Shows continues.
Could McIntyre cross paths with Roman Reigns once again?
Reigns made his intentions clear not long ago, and there is plenty of history between the two. McIntyre has lost to Reigns twice. Is there finally a chance for revenge?
Sami Zayn also enters the picture, with a contenders tournament beginning this Friday on SmackDown.
The winners will advance to a fatal four-way match at Saturday Night’s Main Event, with the victor earning a Royal Rumble title shot.
Zayn has never beaten McIntyre in a one-on-one match and has never won a major world championship.
Could he finally overcome both hurdles by dethroning a man he has never been able to defeat?
McIntyre’s reign represents a much-needed shake-up for SmackDown, with no shortage of viable challengers waiting in the wings.
His previous championship run came during a period without fans, where he carried the company through unprecedented circumstances.
Now firmly established as one of WWE’s most compelling heels, McIntyre has the chance to run with the title in front of a live audience once again.
The timing could hardly be better, as his championship win adds a genuine twist to WWE’s road to WrestleMania.
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