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WWE Rumors: Latest On Drew McIntyre's Status & Creative Plans Following Royal Rumble

Drew McIntyre is reportedly heading to SmackDown and could be on tonight's show in Memphis, Tennessee.
Rick Ucchino|
Drew McIntyre expected to be on SmackDown
Drew McIntyre expected to be on SmackDown | WWE.com

Drew McIntyre has often said that if you read or hear something about him, and it didn't come from the Scottish Warrior himself, don't put too much stock into it.

Taking that into account the former WWE Champion has gone radio silent since the Men's Royal Rumble Match this past Saturday, but much has been written about him following his elimination at the hands of Damian Priest.

That elimination was one of the more talked about of the entire weekend, as McIntyre reportedly stormed through the Gorilla position after it happened. Multiple outlets said that he was audibly cursing about someone, "having to get their moves in."

McIntyre was attempting to toss eventual winner Jey Uso from the match when Priest snuck up behind him and sent Drew flying over the top rope instead. The spot was supposed to get more of a highlight, as it's expected to serve as the catalyst for a WrestleMania 41 program between both men.

The issue with the elimination was that LA Knight and Logan Paul were center ring, getting ready for their own spot, and a collision occurred mid-ring.

It's largely expected that the incident will blow over, if it hasn't already, and WWE has been in constant contact with McIntyre since it happened, according to Mike Johnson of PWInsider.

There was some concerns from fans after Drew was not on Raw this week, but multiple outlets have reported that McIntyre is heading for SmackDown to begin his program with Priest. Johnson says McIntyre is expected to be at the show tonight in Memphis, even if he isn't used on television.

Furthermore, Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer is reporting that Drew McIntyre is earmarked to work with Cody Rhodes after WrestleMania 41. Whether or not the American Nightmare is still the WWE Champion when that feud ultimately happens, remains to be seen.

John Cena is expected to win the Elimination Chamber next month, and face Rhodes for the WWE Championship in Las Vegas. Plans can, and often do, change. We'll all have to wait and see how things shake out.

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Rick Ucchino
RICK UCCHINO

Rick Ucchino is the Assistant Editor & Content Coordinator for The Takedown on SI. He also works full-time for 700WLW Radio in Cincinnati, Ohio as a local news and sports anchor, in addition to his time covering the Cincinnati Bengals for Sirius XM. Rick has been on the professional wrestling beat since 2019, having provided coverage for a number of outlets, including Fightful, SB Nation’s Cageside Seats and the Bleav Podcast Network. With an educational background in theater, creative writing and journalism, Rick focuses primarily on the storytelling aspect of pro wrestling, but he’s no stranger to the squared circle himself. He had the privilege of training with former WWE & WCW cruiserweight Jimmy Wang Yang for nearly two years and retired early due to back issues with a perfect 1-0 record in singles competition. Rick is a married father of two incredibly adorable children, who are budding pro wrestling fans themselves. Much to the chagrin of their mother. You can reach Rick at rwucchino@gmail.com

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