Drew McIntyre Remembers Bittersweet First WWE Title Win

Many fans of Drew McIntyre consider the 'Scottish Psychopath' to be an underrated, often unsung star of the current WWE era. Many especially consider his WrestleMania 36 WWE Championship win a major moment of his career, but something that he deserved to enjoy in front of fans, but looking back, McIntyre feels the road to that moment was 'bittersweet.'

"It's obviously not how I pictured it as a kid," McIntyre admitted about his 'Mania win months after the 2020 Royal Rumble, during an appearance on "The Rich Eisen Show." "Even Royal Rumble, again, such a bittersweet day, you know? Kobe [Bryant] passing and his daughter and the pilot and everyone that passed...Everyone backstage was on a downer, but we were like: 'C'mon! People in the crowd are gonna be on a downer, like right now, people watching are on a downer, let's lift them back up!'"

Looking back at the Rumble, McIntyre noted how massive the event was, with Brock Lesnar dominating, Edge returning, and him winning in the end. However, he was concerned he'd be booed instead of cheered. 

"I was up as a babyface, an organic babyface, good guy, people were getting behind me so big at that time, but it was freaking Edge. He was gone for nine years," McIntyre added, noting that he'd seen fans turn on babyfaces before because of a returning legend.

Despite his doubts, the fans erupted when Drew McIntyre won the Royal Rumble, and looking back on the moment, the fans stayed with him all the way. 

"It was just unreal that people had said 'That's our guy!' I felt like I'd finally crashed through that next level," he recalled. "I'm going to 'Mania! This is unreal! It was in Tampa, my American hometown at the time – I'd loved there for 12 years – everyone's going to be there, my family are coming over, it couldn't be any more perfect, and then the world shut down!"

McIntyre laughed, suggesting that things were going badly for the world just as they were going well for him, but quickly pointed out that entertainment all around the world shut down. 

"We made a decision as a company to push forward," he noted. "It felt weird to have nobody there, I guess, in the building when I won against Brock, except the cameraman and commentators, and I watched it, like everybody else watched it, on the television, because it was pre-taped, but the response was so cool, to see people in their homes so happy."

Interestingly, he explained that without the adrenaline, he was able to take the moment in beforehand and that the experience helped him center himself. Afterwards, he and his wife had a special moment, as she was the one who presented the title to him at home. "She's such a big part of the journey," he said, adding that she helped him become a better man and wrestler all along.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "The Rich Eisen Show" and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.