Drew McIntyre heads into WrestleMania Backlash looking to regain the WWE Championship from Bobby Lashley, but there was a time where it appeared as though McIntyre may never reach his full potential.
After being marked out by Vince McMahon during his debut as the future of the company, things slowly unravelled for the Scottish Warrior. After a steady slide down the card, McIntyre was released by WWE in the summer of 2014. As the Scot returned the independent scene, WWE Title reigns and WrestleMania main events seemed a million miles away.
However, in 2017 a new and improved McIntyre returned to WWE signing with NXT, and his rise to the top of WWE began.
Speaking to Bleacher Report, McIntyre recalled how it took getting release by WWE for him for him to realise who he could look up to in the business. The Scott explained that during time away from the company he began to pattern himself after John Cena.
“I always talk about John Cena as someone I patterned myself after, after I was released rather than learning from him in the moment when I was there on the roster,” McIntyre said. “Instead of working to better myself on the roster, it took getting fired and bettering myself personally before I thought of who I could look up to in this business and whose mentality I needed. I thought about John and how relentless he was with everything he did: be it in media, the gym, in the ring and every aspect of his life.”
Drew McIntyre went on to praise Cena for his work ethic adding that The Miz followed the same path.
“[Cena is] such a workaholic and The Miz followed that exact same path,” McIntyre continued. “I said to myself, ‘I’m going to be that guy, too.’ Whether it was outside of WWE or inside WWE, whenever I was given any kind of position where I was able to take the reins and get the media opportunities and they wanted to speak to me, I was going to take full advantage of it. The second I had that title, I said, ‘Give me it all! I’m that guy now, there’s no excuse, I want every little bit of it.'”
At WrestleMania Backlash Drew McIntyre will take on Braun Strowman and WWE Champion Bobby Lashley in a Triple Threat Match. A heated rivalry has developed between the trio after Lashley retained the WWE against McIntyre at WrestleMania 37.
Watch WWE WrestleMania Backlash live on the WWE Network – and via Peacock in the United States – on Sunday, May 16th.