Drew McIntyre and Damian Priest have battled it out for the past year. (Credit: Andrew Timms/WWE via … More Getty Images)
WWE via Getty Images
Drew McIntyre didn’t get the match he wanted at WWE WrestleMania 41, but he did get the victory and a decisive one at that.
The former three-time world champion defeated Damian Priest with a devastating Claymore Kick into a steel chair in what was the latest chapter of a lengthy rivalry between two of WWE’s top stars. Of course, if McIntyre had his way, he would have been involved in a more significant WrestleMania match.
The Scottish superstar faced Seth Rollins for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 40 last year, and he had a stellar 2024 in which he carried Monday Night Raw for much of the year. That’s why McIntyre had expressed disappointment in not being in a WrestleMania world title match this year, instead facing Priest in a non-title midcard affair.
That was undoubtedly a step back for McIntyre and even Priest, too. Both recent additions to SmackDown, the two stars had been staples of Raw’s World Heavyweight Championship scene for much of the past year. Priest was elevated to new heights when he won his first World Heavyweight title at WrestleMania 40, ironically enough by cashing in his Money in the Bank briefcase on McIntyre after McIntyre had just defeated Seth Rollins to win the championship.
But when facing the tough task of following Iyo Sky’s epic win, Priest and McIntyre made sure they were more than just a comedown match.
ForbesWWE WrestleMania 41 Results: Iyo Sky Pins Bianca Belair In Shocking UpsetBy Blake OestriecherIndeed, there’s a lengthy and storied history between McIntyre and Priest that can’t be denied. The two stars, after all, have been virtually joined at the hip for much of the past year. The issue is, their rivalry has never felt as heated or exciting as it should have, and without the world title involved, it didn’t feel personal enough, either.
While Priest’s position as an upper midcarder feels about right given WWE’s star-studded roster, McIntyre’s role at WrestleMania 41, even though it resulted in a victory over Priest, still came across as a monumental letdown even if the match itself was a very good one.
Truth be told, however, this rivalry even got off on the wrong foot at WWE Royal Rumble when McIntyre’s messy elimination became the first point of contention on McIntyre’s road to WrestleMania 41. McIntyre’s elimination by Priest didn’t get the attention it deserved, instead being a mere footnote in one of the most stacked Royal Rumbles ever.
McIntyre, though upset over his lack of presence in the world title picture, wanted fans to give his feud with a Priest a chance before writing it off. WWE fans did exactly that, but McIntyre vs. Priest the rivalry never really hit that second gear, which isn’t all that surprising.
WWE often has difficulties creating exciting storylines when a title isn’t involved, and numerous other stars have felt that on the road to WrestleMania 41. Priest vs. McIntyre was no different, but at WrestleMania 41, they did deliver a very good match that you would expect from stars of their caliber.
Now, WWE’s immediate challenge is to reheat McIntyre and elevate back to his rightful place near the top of the card.
Earlier this year, it was reported that WWE was planning a feud between McIntyre and Cody Rhodes, which could be for the WWE Championship depending upon the outcome of Rhodes’ WrestleMania match with John Cena. That sounds more like it for McIntyre, who has been far too good for too long to wallow away in the midcard.
McIntyre’s win over Priest, the former World Heavyweight Champion, likely won’t be remembered in just a few years from now, but if it catapults McIntyre, arguably WWE’s best all-around performer, back up the card? Mission accomplished.
