Drew McIntyre: ‘It’s my job... to get rid of’ wrestlers ‘tweeting about how upset they are’

This isn’t necessarily a new viewpoint for Drew McIntyre to express. Since returning to WWE in 2017 after being released in 2014 and then reinventing himself on the independents and in TNA, the 33 year old Scotsman has spoken often about how he didn’t know how good he had it his first time around with the world’s largest pro wrestling company.

Moreover, McIntyre admits that in retrospect he now realizes he wasn’t giving his all to being a WWE Superstar. As a result, he’s not surprised he was let go. In fact, he sounds like he believes he deserved to lose his dream job.

His comments about wrestlers on the current roster who have “lost perspective” stem from those experiences. And while he’s talked about those before, with wrestlers not re-signing with WWE, some talent publicly asking to be released from their contract and rumors of others threatening to quit, quotes like the one he gave Illinois’ State Journal-Register ahead of a house show tonight (April 20) in Springfield have extra resonance:

“I can look around now and see people who have lost perspective. They’re perhaps tweeting about how upset they are and their lack of opportunity instead of bettering themselves or working harder outside of the ring. They’re clearly not going to the gym and they don’t have that fire anymore, and I understand it because I was there. And I can spot it because I was that guy... It’s my job and my character’s job to get rid of those who don’t necessarily have that fire and remind me of my younger self.”

That he refers to weeding out those who’ve lost “that fire” as both his and his character’s job blurs lines that are already blurred with Sasha Banks’ situation being addressed in kayfabe, and Dean Ambrose’s exit being promoted.

But it does give the impression that the online criticism many performers lob at the company about their booking isn’t universally supported in the locker room. Will that be a storyline eventually? I wouldn’t be surprised.

Let us know your thoughts on McIntyre’s comments in this interview - and the whole issue of WWE Superstars who’ve “lost perspective” - below, Cagesiders.