Drew McIntyre Reveals When He Knew He Was Winning The Royal Rumble

– Drew McIntyre did an interview with Bleacher Report following his WWE Royal Rumble victory. Highlights are below.

On winning the Royal Rumble: “It’s the biggest deal. I’ve been struggling to find the words, but the only way I can do it is to say that this is simply a dream come true, This is my life’s work. I’ve always wanted to be a wrestler since I was four years old. I sent away to America for something called ‘The Secrets of Pro Wrestling’ when I was 11 years old and kept them in a briefcase because I had to keep the secrets from everybody as I trained. When I was 14, everyone told me, ‘Wrestling is an American thing.’ Well, I was the first-ever Scotsman signed at 21, and then, I went through some incredible ups, incredible downs, got released. And finally, the pieces came together. I’ve found what was missing, which was just being my freaking self and letting everybody in and showing them the real Drew Galloway, which is the real Drew McIntyre. And the pieces are coming together. The perfect time—Rumble season. I’ve won the freaking Rumble. We’re on the road to WrestleMania, and I’ve got Brock Lesnar chasing me.”

On eliminating Brock Lesnar: “I hope the camera caught my face. That probably said everything, because I have no idea how I reacted,” McIntyre said. “But I was in that moment, and just the idea of walking up to the ring and climbing up on the apron and looking at Brock Lesnar, getting in that ring slowly and in my head I was like, ‘I can beat Brock Lesnar, I can take Brock Lesnar no matter what happens. If he shoots at me and comes and tries to take me down, I can beat this man.’ And when he took off those gloves. Goosebumps on my arm went up. I was ready to go no matter what happened. And to kick him out of there, that reaction, you just have to watch the footage. That was exactly how I felt in the moment because it was very bloody real.”

On when he knew he was winning the Rumble: “I didn’t know anything yesterday. I’m talking about today late. I’ve learned through my experience just to go with the flow. And when you get information, you take it and you perform it to the best of your ability. That’s why I always say sports entertainers, wrestlers, don’t get the credit we deserve. You got to be thinking on your feet, you’ve got to be ready to improve, and you’re doing your own stunts. You’ve got to pull the emotions of the crowd in the direction you want them to go. And there is no business like this. We literally think on our feet.”

On sharing the moment with his wife: “This is our journey, together. We got together towards the end of my first run I had with WWE,” McIntyre said. “She didn’t watch wrestling and didn’t follow it. And doesn’t necessarily to this day. That’s why I love her opinion as an outsider. But she saw that I wasn’t making the best decisions always in life. Obviously, a lot of people saw my potential in me in the ring and what I could do in wrestling. She saw more potential in me as a person. And she was a big part of me growing up. I wanted to be more grown-up for her. I wasn’t always making the best decisions outside the ring. Maybe partying a little too much, just hurting myself. And she helped me proceed straight and grow up outside the ring while I started perfecting my craft inside the ring, and together, we created who I am today.”

On challenging Brock Lesnar: “Damn right I am. This is when you’ve got to turn up to a 100. I generally work around a 100, so this is probably where I turn up to 110. I know I’ve got a beast breathing down my neck. There’s nobody in the world like Brock at any sport. And I know he’s coming for me. Some people get upset like, ‘Oh, Brock Lesnar, he doesn’t show up to work and blah blah blah blah.’ I mean, to be fair, he signed a contract where he doesn’t have to. We can’t hold that against him. What I hold against him is the fact he’s got our title. We need that title on TV. We need it in the live events. That’s a very important part of RAW, and I want it back. And I think he’s seen me coming. I think Paul [Heyman, Brock’s advocate] has been keeping them away from me because he’s seen me coming. There’s nobody that really wants to get in the ring with him. But I match him for size. I match him for speed, and not only that, I match him for experience—and I’m not sitting at home all the time, chilling out. Once-in-a-lifetime athlete that he is, I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve, and I can match up in every other area. And as soon as he makes a mistake, which he does, just not very often, I will exploit it, and I’ll win that title if I get that opportunity.”