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Drew McIntyre details canceled WrestleMania match against The Undertaker


Drew McIntyre has shared that WWE nixed two significant plans for him during his initial tenure with the company. The plans were to either see him battle The Undertaker at WrestleMania 26 or win the Money in the Bank contract at the event.

The Scottish Warrior was dubbed “The Chosen One” by Vince McMahon, and he was guaranteed a world championship run in the future during that time.

WWE gave him a push with the Intercontinental Championship early in his career. The company had bigger plans for him for WrestleMania 26, though, which would’ve made him a major star.

Writing in A Chosen Destiny, Drew McIntyre revealed The Undertaker was placed to become his mentor, leading to a match at the Showcase of the Immortals.

“As far as I knew, Vince McMahon had put Undertaker in charge as my mentor and in the same conversation said the goal was to build up to a big match between us. I found out later that this was mooted for WrestleMania XXVI, which would have been amazing. Not as good then as it would be now, with where I’m at as a performer, but it would still have been a great story,” said McIntyre.

“Technically, it wouldn’t have been a main event, because those are for the WWE title matches, but any match with Taker is considered a major event. At the time I was just happy to hear I would be in the Money in the Bank Ladder Match, as this was my first WrestleMania, and I didn’t actually know that a possible match-up with the Taker was the original plan,” he added.

Unfortunately for Drew McIntyre, the match didn’t come to fruition and The Phenom faced Shawn Michaels instead. Meanwhile, he unsuccessfully competed in the Money In The Bank Ladder Match.

Drew McIntyre was booked to become Mr Money In The Bank at WrestleMania 36

Drew McIntyre as WWE Champion
Drew McIntyre as WWE Champion

WrestleMania 26 could’ve been a defining moment in Drew McIntyre’s career if plans hadn’t changed. McIntyre was just initially supposed to face The Undertaker. However, he was also booked to win the Money in the Bank contract after the big match was scrapped.

That didn’t happen either, though. The glory went to former WWE star Jack Swagger, who successfully cashed in to win the World Heavyweight Championship.

Drew McIntyre said he felt elbowed aside as he didn’t receive an explanation as to why WWE changed its plans.

“Better still, I was told in advance I would be winning the Money in the Bank match,” said McIntyre. “To beat nine fellow superstars for the coveted contract would have been a massive deal and the next logical stage for my spoiled character. What was disappointing was that it became clear that I wasn’t winning the Money in the Bank match after all – because it was ‘too obvious’. The change of plan wasn’t communicated to me or explained. It just happened, and I felt elbowed aside.”

McIntyre stated he was good at blocking out negativity, but felt the situation was a “double-whammy” at that stage of his career.

“In the event, Jack ‘the All-American American’ Swagger took the honours, defeating Christian, Dolph Ziggler, Evan Bourne, Kane, Kofi Kingston, Matt Hardy, MVP, Shelton Benjamin and me. As I’ve said, I’m good at blocking out negative thoughts, but in retrospect I see that episode as a bit of a double-whammy for a young guy just concentrating on trying to figure out himself, his character and his responsibility to make the most of this new high-profile position he found himself in,” added Drew McIntyre. (H/T Inside The Ropes)

Drew McIntyre could return to the glory days if he manages to defeat Bobby Lashley and Braun Strowman for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania Backlash.

Published 04 May 2021, 04:11 IST



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