By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
The Rack Radio Show with Drew McIntyre
Hosted by Lindsey Ward and Sir Rockin
Audio interview available at Wildtalkradio.com
Drew McIntyre on his road to WrestleMania 36: “That was the dream, to become WWE Champion just didn’t expect it to happen in that fashion. Seven years of work, finally I win the WWE Royal Rumble, I get my guaranteed title match at the biggest show of the year, WrestleMania. I challenge Brock Lensar, UFC Champion, multiple time WWE Champion, an anomaly in our industry, the big match is coming, not only is it going to be at WrestleMania, its gonna be WrestleMania in my American Hometown, where I have lived for years, in Tampa, Florida, 80,000 people, family and friends from Scotland are there, wife is gonna be there, they are all in the front row. Fans ride behind me for the first time in my life in WWE. The reactions are at a fever pitch like I have never heard before, nothing could go wrong, then boom, pandemic.”
Drew McIntyre’s reaction to winning the WWE Championship for the first time at WrestleMania 36: “When I started to understand the gravity of the situation, we were the only gig in town, we were bringing people an escape with WrestleMania, my match was last, it had a bit of a feel good story, it could really put some smiles on faces across the world, with a happy ending to WrestleMania, if I beat Brock and won the title. It was something that was really big to me and when I won the title it meant the world to me and I had my moment. It was in a quiet performance center with no fans there instead of 80,000, but I had my moment with the title, I beat Brock. It meant a lot to me. I watched it at home with everyone else, we taped it a week in advance, I was able to watch it live with the world, when the referee presented me with the title on television, my wife presented me with the title in real life, which was really cool and then I heard the feedback for Mania was just unbelievable and again we are talking about positivity, inspiring people and thats what it is all about. To see the level of positivity for WrestleMania was unbelievable. It was a WrestleMania where the world stood still. It will never be forgotten and people will remember that night when Drew McIntyre beat Brock for the title, in front of nobody.”
Drew McIntyre’s reaction to being back in front of the WWE Universe: “It is interesting because as much as I was on the rise before WrestleMania when we had the fans, I was lucky enough that I was getting the loudest responses at the time, the loudest of my career by far, i’ve been in like a top position and in peoples faces for a year straight, with a lot of Drew content and sometimes if our fans aren’t digging something their attention will go else where and they might boo it, thats the thing about our passionate fans, if they don’t like something, they will let you know and they will let you know loudly and I am fine with that. I love it, I will never get offended if they aren’t digging it, as long as they care one way or another. As long as they are react, if they boo, if they cheer, as long as they make noise. I was ready for anything. Realistically, you know, I am suppose to be the good guy but you never know, there has been a lot of Drew content, but we will see what happens. When I walked out for my entrance, to hear the level of cheer, I was taken aback, I was like “Wow, thats pretty cool and pretty crazy”. You have seen a lot of Drew the past year and to still react so positively was so cool.”
Thoughts on losing to Bobby Lashley at WrestleMania and what he can take from it: “To hear the shock I think when Lashley at the end as well, when he put me out from his finishing move the Hurt Lock, was pretty cool as well. I think everyone just expected Drew was going to win as well and have his moment with the fans this year. You know he’s earned it, he’s worked so hard, he’s gonna get it, and then it gets taken away and I think thats important for the Drew McIntyre character. I’m not Superman, I’m Batman and I have to be relatable. I am flawed as human, with all the ups and downs I have been through, I certainly haven’t had it easy the entire time and why should I have it easy at WrestleMania, I have to keep overcoming it at the same time while making top level superstar in Bobby Lashley, we need as many top level superstars as possible. To get that moment taken away, I’m still chasing that moment in front of the fans at WrestleMania.”
The Support he has received on the release of his book: “I actually can’t wrap my head around the fact that I have a book in general and that people are reading my book in big numbers and feeling so positive about it and the biggest thing for me was inspiring people out there to chase their dreams and never give up during the difficult times, which I thought was important during these times and to hear peoples’ stories of one of my stories about the time I was knocked down and refused to give up really helped. It’s surreal, mind blowing. I’m still struggling to wrap my head around the whole thing.”
On how writing this book allows him to be an inspiration to people around the world: “The selling point for me was to help others. It wasn’t my idea. I didn’t decide that what people need right now is to hear a 35 year-old kid from Scotland’s story about wrestling in WWE. I think a company approached WWE and wanted to put my story out there and they came to me and my first thought was, does anyone really want to hear my wrestling stories? It’s not so much your wrestling story Drew, it’s your life story. You achieved something pretty incredible at a young age. You were the first ever Scotsman signed to WWE and then what followed was the craziest bunch of ups and downs anyone has ever experienced, not just professionally from being on top of the industry at such a young age, falling to the point to get fired, but in the personal life just so many times I’ve been knocked down and losing so many people close to me, especially my mother and going through a dark time of drinking and partying and losing sight of my dreams and goals, to the point where I just wasn’t at rock bottom, I was at the 25th down and my wife coming on the scene and giving me a real kick on the butt and helping someone that had fallen so far and was quite frankly a boy, finally grow up and be a man, get back on track, and achieve my goals and dreams of getting back to WWE and winning the WWE Championship, becoming the first British Champion, which I have done twice now. When they told me you can help a few people, is that what is most important to you? Heck, yeah, that is the most important thing in the world to me, especially during these difficult times, and if I can inspire just one person to know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, no matter how dark it gets, thats what it is all about.”
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