Drew McIntyre has been ranked 2020’s best wrestler in the world in the first-ever ITR 50 as announced in the latest issue of Inside The Ropes Magazine.
McIntyre began the strongest year of his career with a bang, eliminating WWE Champion Brock Lesnar from the Royal Rumble following a dominant performance from Lesnar before going on to become the first-ever British winner of the event. The ‘Scottish Warrior’ would maintain his undefeated streak (which had been developing since the previous November) by defeating every foe laid before him in under three minutes before finally slaying ‘The Beast’ in the main event of WrestleMania 36 to capture the WWE Championship for the first time in his career.
As champion, McIntyre would develop a presence and swagger unlike anything fans had ever seen from the Ayr native and retained the belt in a series of impressive feuds with ‘The Messiah’ Seth Rollins, Bobby Lashley and Dolph Ziggler. But it was opposite the newly-reborn ‘Legend Killer’ Randy Orton that McIntyre really began to thrive. The two had an emotionally-charged feud lasting over five months where McIntyre retained the prestigious belt at SummerSlam and Clash of Champions before shockingly dropping it to Orton at Hell In A Cell – his first singles loss in almost a year.
The Scotsman’s failure would only rekindle his intimidating and dominant aura, however, allowing him to regain the belt just two weeks later on RAW to set up a massive Survivor Series showdown with Universal Champion Roman Reigns. The two would steal the show – putting on one of the best matches of the year – where despite falling to the ‘Tribal Chief’, McIntyre proved that Claymore Country could contend with The Bloodline…and it’s here to stay.
Power Slam co-founder and Inside The Ropes Magazine writer Findlay Martin recounted McIntyre’s year and summarised why he was the best of the best in 2020:
“The man who won the Royal Rumble and succeeded Brock Lesnar as WWE Champion at WrestleMania maximised his ringing endorsement from WWE by turning out a succession of exacting performances redolent of a wrestler at the top of his craft.”
Responding to being ranked #1 in the ITR 50, McIntyre told Inside The Ropes Magazine he was grateful that his efforts this year were being rewarded and appreciated:
“It’s really cool that the work we’ve pulled off and the work I’ve personally pulled off has been recognised for the magazine. It means a lot to me.”
Issue 4 of Inside The Ropes Magazine, which features this year’s ITR 50 in full as well as an interview with Drew McIntyre, is available for both digital and physical purchase online worldwide as well as in the United States, Canada, Australia and Ireland through select retailers.