At WWE’s first Clash at the Castle, Drew McIntyre received a hero’s welcome from the people of Whales in his losing effort against the Bloodline. Returning once again to his home country of Scotland, what happens if Drew McIntyre loses at Clash at the Castle? While that seems almost impossible to imagine, anything can happen.
Damian Priest may very well lose, but he is a brand-new champion. His reign could use a signature win. McIntyre in Scotland would provide that for Damian Priest, leaving a less than certain future for the “Scottish Psychopath.”
Scotland’s own @DMcIntyreWWE returns home for his country’s first-ever @WWE Premium Live Event… and his eyes are on the World Heavyweight Title.
WWE Clash at the Castle streams live June 15 at 2pm ET from Glasgow’s @OVOHydro. #WWECastle pic.twitter.com/AOjikK7Hnn
— Triple H (@TripleH) May 28, 2024
Drew McIntyre Will Heat Up His Rivalry With CM Punk
A loss at Clash at the Castle will pretty much dash any chance that Drew McIntyre will be the World Heavyweight Champion in 2024. As a former three-time world champion, one more title can be an acceptable sacrifice to gain something more significant. McIntyre losing would require a return by CM Punk at this point.
CM Punk suffered an injury thanks to McIntyre back in January. Since the Royal Rumble, this feud has grown and is long-running at this point. Nobody has said when CM Punk will return, so a surprise in Scotland would shock most of the fans in attendance and at home.
And…
– 2 x WWE Champion
– Soon to be 2 x World Heavyweight Champion
– Intercontinental Champion
– 2 x Tag Team Champion
– Royal Rumble winner
– 2 x Elimination Chamber winner
– NXT Champion
– First and only British WWE Champion
– TNA World Heavyweight Champion… https://t.co/mgCOd5pTeH— Drew (@DMcIntyreWWE) June 6, 2024
It is hard to imagine Punk and McIntyre getting hotter now. The rivalry has played out primarily through interference and social media clashes. Yet despite the lack of physical interactions, fans are thoroughly invested in seeing the two clash. Their feud has eclipsed the teased rivalries between Punk and anyone else, including Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes.
Punk and McIntyre are hot right now, and they probably do not need a championship to help sell it. If CM Punk is ready, WWE may see one more interference by the voice of the voiceless being the spark to what would almost certainly be wrestling’s biggest story of the summer.
Seth Rollins Has a Major Feud Ready When He Returns
Seth Rollins, the former champion who lost to McIntyre at WrestleMania 40, has been out since that event. He has recently been seen recovering; his return is also an open question. If Drew McIntyre loses at Clash at the Castle, he could be a great way to reintroduce Seth Rollins to Raw. Seth needs a big match upon his return.
However, Damian Priest didn’t defeat him, so jumping to the front of the line would be odd. Likewise, Priest winning means he stays at the top for a bit longer. Priest vs Rollins doesn’t have the same big fight feel as a potential grudge match with Drew McIntyre.
Freeing Drew up for Seth also means that Damian Priest will still be champion, bolstering whatever feuds he engages in in the summer months. It is a win-win for WWE.
Rollins vs. McIntyre being the best match for a returning Rollins is a testament to how well Drew has carried raw since 2024 began. No matter who you are, Drew McIntyre has been heavily involved in your story. He can feud with anyone in an entertaining and profoundly personal way.
Some of the greatest WWE superstars of all time did not need to hold the World title, and McIntyre appears to have joined that elite group. Acts like Booker T, Roddy Piper, and Diamond Dallas Page all rarely, if ever, held the world title.
Each talent is a revered talent by fans of their eras, even today. McIntyre eclipses all of them in his athleticism and ability, and a loss at Clash at the Castle shows that WWE thinks he’s their peer as a WWE character as well.
Damian Priest Can Thrive if Drew McIntyre Loses at Clash at the Castle
Nobody gains more if Drew McIntyre loses at Clash at the Castle than the man who’d beat him, obviously. Damian Priest losing isn’t the worst outcome for him necessarily, which is a rarity in early title defenses like this one. Still, he could use this victory a lot more than Drew McIntyre. Partly, it is about how little McIntyre needs the belt as previously established.
Mostly, though, it is how much Damian needs it. Priest is the third most important faction member and is often presented as leading them.
He has feuded with everyone as a member of Judgment Day, so nothing feels particularly fresh, especially now that Raw is out of top faces. Aside from breaking up the group, which is well underway, no Damian Priest match feels all that interesting.
Watching somebody try to win a world title, especially their first one, is a worthy co-main event to whatever Drew is doing.
Seth Rollins – took himself beyond the limit against me
Jey Uso – Had to use more than 2 moves against me
CM Punk – Is showing he ain’t washed (he is) against me
Damian Priest – Finally proved he has some chops… against me
I’m the one setting the bar on Raw. I’m bringing…
— Drew (@DMcIntyreWWE) May 15, 2024
What Raw lacks in certified stars, they make up for in popular young talent. Guys like Sami Zayn, Iljia Dragunov, and Jey Uso are all fresh acts. Even the heel Gunther is still in the hunt for a WWE world championship.
Watching them try to accomplish that makes for exciting shows. Damian Priest is a great talent and can have a good match with all those superstars. He can’t have a main event match with any of them, though, unless he is the champion.
Drew McIntyre can and has on multiple occasions. Sometimes, the title elevates a champion. Sometimes, a champion must rise to the occasion of his title. People have their preferences as fans, but neither is wrong. Showcasing more people in prominent roles and fun matches is what wrestling is all about. WWE can make that happen most efficiently if Drew McIntyre loses at Clash at the Castle.
Would it Make Sense if Drew McIntyre Loses at Clash at the Castle?
None of the rationales for why Drew should lose are about him. They are about other people he can make look better, with or without the title. He can do that, so in some ways, his losing works. Regardless of the outcome, his feud with CM Punk will be the biggest story on Raw. It would give Damian Priest a lot of momentum, although the case can be made that he doesn’t especially need the title, either.
The truth is, though, that in Scotland, Drew McIntyre winning will create a moment that WWE should not pass up. The totality of the WWE Universe from the first WrestleMania onward is crafted by these moments that excite fans old and new.
Hearing the Scottish fans cheer for the hometown hero during his much-deserved win will be one of those moments. A lasting memory added to the tapestry of professional wrestling moments. That alone is reason enough for WWE to make it official at Clash at the Castle.
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