Seth Rollins emerged victorious in a spectacular opening match against Drew McIntyre at WWE Crown Jewel 2023. In the highly anticipated debut of Byron Saxton as a ring announcer, Rollins and McIntyre delivered an entertaining and back-and-forth battle. The Saudi crowd was electric throughout the contest, showing strong support for McIntyre.
Following McIntyre’s defeat, the WWE commentary team hinted that he might consider joining Judgment Day in order to reclaim a world championship. As McIntyre left the arena, Rhea Ripley smirked at him, seemingly saying “I told you so.” Meanwhile, Damian Priest tried to cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase, but Sami Zayn interfered and escaped with the briefcase into the crowd.
The Saudi crowd at the Mohamed Abdo Theater heavily favored McIntyre. Thirsty for a championship change, the fans chanted for McIntyre throughout the match and occasionally booed Rollins.
In Seth Rollins, Drew McIntyre encountered a formidable opponent who could potentially dethrone him as the WWE World Champion. Rollins was a -500 favorite over McIntyre, whereas Reigns had an almost insurmountable -5000 line.
WWE successfully built up Drew McIntyre’s slow transformation into a villainous character. Like any great heel, McIntyre has valid reasons for his actions, but his approach makes him unlikable. McIntyre continues to harbor resentment over the impact of the pandemic and the dominance of The Bloodline. While many WWE stars have experienced similar challenges, McIntyre arguably suffered the most from these circumstances.
And McIntyre wants everyone to know it.
McIntyre’s increasingly bitter promos draw parallels to Bret Hart’s memorable heel turn in 1997, one of the most impactful turns in recent wrestling history. McIntyre feels continually wronged, and with no one coming to his aid, he has become cynical and resentful. This new character arc adds depth to McIntyre, who had struggled since his loss to Reigns at Clash in the Castle. What was once a hopeless decline has now become a compelling story.
As McIntyre’s darkness deepens, WWE continues to tease the possibility of him joining The Bloodline. Damian Priest also has ongoing tensions with Judgment Day. If Priest gets another shot at Rollins’ world championship, McIntyre as the champion could lead to a dramatic double-cross by Priest, who holds the Money in the Bank contract.
WWE Raw has recently become stagnant and needs a change. McIntyre’s heel turn and victory for the WWE World Championship could have been that change. However, with WWE hinting at a potential alliance between McIntyre and Judgment Day, it seems a shake-up may be on the horizon.
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