When Drew McIntyre showed up at TakeOver: Orlando and announced he was returning to WWE and reclaiming his company-trademarked name, fans figured it wouldn’t be too long before he entered into the NXT title picture.
His every promo since has confirmed that as his mission. Until tonight (July 19), his matches were about making him look dominant in support of that goal. When he faced SAnitY’s Killian Dain, McIntyre didn’t look unbeatable, but he still looked damn good. And with his win over the Beast of Belfast, he’s now earned the right to face NXT champion Bobby Roode at TakeOver: Brooklyn III next month.
It’s a remarkable rise, even considering we all knew he’d get a shot sooner than later. His televised bouts have all been decisive victories. Despite being on the roster for TakeOver: Chicago, Drew didn’t appear on that show, meaning his first match on a WWE Network special will be for the belt.
Will he remain undefeated and claim Roode’s glorious prize? The man himself is pretty confident...
Moments after becoming the #1Contender to @REALBobbyRoode's #NXTTitle, @DMcIntyreWWE wasted NO time calling out the #glorious champ! #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/ExdyR2mAaI
— WWE (@WWE) July 20, 2017
This is the first match officially announced for the show, but if you want spoilers on what else we know (and rumors about what might still develop) - head here.