Why Drew McIntyre Needs To Turn Heel In WWE Right Now
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It has been a few months since Drew McIntyre came seconds away from winning the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship in front of a home UK crowd, in what would have been an all-time classic moment. When looking back at where McIntyre’s momentum was though, he wasn’t as hot as he has been in the past (aside from on the night of the Clash of the Castle PPV itself). In 2020, McIntyre was the face of Monday Night Raw, but now he feels like any other babyface on the roster with no edge. This needs to change, and the way to facilitate a renewed main event run for McIntyre is with a heel turn, which needs to come very soon.
Drew McIntyre’s Momentum As A Babyface Has Been Declining Since 2020
Following the 2020 Royal Rumble, WWE had created a red-hot babyface in Drew McIntyre. Unfortunately, the pandemic got in the way of his crowning moment at WrestleMania 36, where he won the WWE Championship, but he still led the line over the next year as Raw’s top babyface. Things were going well, even without a live crowd, but over time his character got dryer and more pandering, and the boat was missed on him winning back the WWE Title at the first live show since the pandemic, which led to his fall down the card.
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WWE attempted to build him back up, but a terrible “history teacher” type of gimmick and carrying a sword led to a lot of groans from those watching. McIntyre was running dangerously close to fans turning on him, but thankfully this part of his gimmick was dropped, though in its place was just a by the book character with nothing else to offer. When given the chance to cut promos ahead of his feud with Roman Reigns, he gathered some steam, but it wasn’t anywhere close to two years ago. It feels like his time as a babyface has now run its course, and he should turn heel.
A Heel Turn Could Bring Drew McIntyre Back To The World Title Scene Again
When McIntyre made his return to WWE’s main roster, it was as a vicious heel who took joy in dishing out pain. Feuds against Kurt Angle and The Shield were strong, but WWE only touched the surface on what he could have been as a bad guy. After months of failures in WWE, it builds the perfect reason for him to be frustrated enough to turn heel once again. For someone of McIntyre’s size, he can be an imposing figure and dominant monster, and he has the promo work to back it all up too.
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Simply put, McIntyre is far too good to continue being wasted, and a heel turn can salvage his career and turn it around. Ahead of WrestleMania season, WrestlingNews.Co have revealed some of the potential plans for the main title scenes, which includes Seth Rollins facing either Drew McIntyre or Cody Rhodes for the WWE Title, and Roman Reigns facing either The Rock or Cody Rhodes for the Universal Title. If McIntyre does find himself in contention for the WWE Title, then it will be against the newly turned babyface Seth Rollins. Of course, WWE could run with a babyface vs babyface scenario, but a heel turn for McIntyre would be much more fun.
There Is A Lot Of Potential In A Heel Run From Drew McIntyre
Seth Rollins as the underdog babyface working from below against Drew McIntyre with a mean streak could create magic. Envisioning McIntyre in a main title feud as a good guy doesn’t sound too appealing right for WrestleMania 39, but as a bad guy it opens up a whole new level of intrigue and potential. Even if McIntyre loses that match, it gives him all the more reason to be more dangerous in the months which follow, allowing to build further momentum before finally winning a World Title in front of a live crowd, albeit with him no longer as a fan favorite. Either way though, it would give him a new sense of life in WWE.
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Feuds against the likes of Baron Corbin and Karrion Kross have really sucked the life out of McIntyre in 2022, with no clear signs of a proper next step for him. A new character is exactly what he needs in 2023, and he has all the talent in the world to pull it off. Even if WWE wanted others in the main event scene, McIntyre as an upper midcard heel in feuds against the likes of Edge, Sami Zayn, Brock Lesnar, Matt Riddle, and many more, offers up a lot of great potential that wouldn’t be present if he were a babyface. WWE needs to do something with McIntyre before he garners go away heat, and make the jump to turn him heel before the fans force it to happen.
