Things didn’t go exactly how Drew McIntyre thought they would at WWE WrestleMania 40, although he can technically say that he won a World Title in front of fans, something he didn’t achieve at WrestleMania 36 in 2020 when he dethroned Brock Lesnar for the WWE Title, and his second reign in the Thunderdome.
McIntyre challenged Seth Rollins for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at the WrestleMania XL premium live event from Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the opening bout of the second night. This was after he became the #1 contender for the title after winning the Men’s Elimination Chamber Match at the PLE-themed event in Australia several weeks before.
McIntyre went over with two Claymore kicks. However, after the match, McIntyre celebrated with his wife at ringside before getting into the face of CM Punk, who was on commentary for the match, leading to Punk attacking him. Damian Priest came out to cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase and won the title.
In the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer pointed out how McIntyre has won five World Titles in his career only for nobody to pay for a ticket to see him defend it after winning it.
This happened as TNA World Champion in 2016 and 2017, when they held free shows in Orlando, FL, at Universal Studios. His two previous WWE Title wins were during the pandemic when WWE didn’t have fans in attendance.
