Drew McIntyre Reveals WWE Originally Planned for Him to Have a Male Model Gimmick

– WWE World Heavyweight champion Drew McIntyre was a guest on this week’s The Rich Eisen Show and was promoting his upcoming appearance on the Shaq Bowl this week. During the interview, he revealed that the original gimmick WWE had planned for him was as a male model. You can check out a clip and some highlights below.

Drew McIntyre on the male model gimmick WWE had planned for him: “It had something to do with being a fricking male model. Yeah, I remember because I got told about it. I was about 260 at the time. ‘We got this great idea for ya Drew. You’re gonna be The Runway Man. You’re gonna come out on a runway. And you’re gonna model all the greatest underpants or whatever. That’s gonna be your gimmick because you’re this model character,’ and all my dreams just like crashed before my very eyes, but I couldn’t register it on my face because it’s WWE. It’s a huge opportunity. I just nodded and went, ‘That’s a great idea.’ Eventually, I had to cut down to 260 to be a male model. So I lost about 35 pounds to get the abs in, looking like an Abercrombie and Fitch model.”

McIntyre on what he told Vince McMahon about the gimmick: “You know, I was a lot younger looking at the time. I had a shaved face at the time, a bit of a pretty boy. I had myself looking the part, sat down with Vince McMahon. He asked me my honest opinion of the character, and I said, ‘You know what sir, if it gets me on television, I’ll make it work.’ He clearly saw I did not like it at all and said, ‘Just go out there and be yourself.’ And I had already lost like 35 pounds. I have to gain this weight back somehow because I looked like a male model, but I have to be a butt kicker. I’m glad that never saw the light of day though. Thank God!”

McIntyre on wanting to be himself in WWE: “I would have chosen anything where I could just be myself. The best characters are an extension of your real personality. Male model is nowhere close to Drew’s real personality. I was watching YouTube videos trying to figure out how to walk like a runway model. I was like, ‘My goodness. This is not the one for me.’”

Is it true @DMcIntyreWWE's original gimmick had him as a male model?!@toojiggy asked the question and you won't believe the #WWE Champion's response:@wwe #RoyalRumble @VinceMcMahon @StephMcMahon @TripleH @WWESheamus @WolfgangYoung @JinderMahal pic.twitter.com/Ktz1NOgV7Q

— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) February 1, 2021