Drew McIntyre is officially part of the WWE SmackDown roster.
On this week’s SmackDown, McIntyre appeared at the top of the second hour to cut a promo, calling Raw a toxic work environment and announcing his move to SmackDown to pursue the Undisputed WWE Championship, currently held by Cody Rhodes.
McIntyre also referenced his frustration over his elimination from the Men’s Royal Rumble. Jimmy Uso then interrupted, prompting McIntyre to take a jab at him, saying that Jimmy might have been in Jey Uso’s position had he just said “YEET” first.
LA Knight then entered, delivering a brief message about men’s mental health before turning his focus to McIntyre. Knight referenced their Royal Rumble issues, joking that he heard McIntyre had been called “Drew McIncyer.” This exchange led to a triple-threat Elimination Chamber qualifying match featuring all three men.
Reports have surfaced that McIntyre was frustrated with a fellow wrestler at the Royal Rumble, believing they prioritized their moves over the match’s storytelling. Missed time cues allegedly led to McIntyre’s irritation, particularly with Knight, whom he reportedly felt was more focused on fitting in his own spots rather than following the match’s narrative.