Drew McIntyre made a surprise return during the July 4th segment of SmackDown, confronting former rivals. The Scottish Warrior had been absent since his tough loss to Damian Priest on May 24th’s Saturday Night Main Event. In an unexpected twist, McIntyre returned with sharp words of wisdom for Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes. His return reignited old tensions, setting the stage for potential future conflicts among the former allies.
Kicking off the show, Orton and Rhodes discussed their clash at Night of Champions in Riyadh. However, the moment took an unexpected turn when The Scottish Warrior made a surprise appearance. McIntyre called out both The Legend Killer and The American Nightmare for their family drama. He accused them of wasting his valuable spotlight with their ongoing personal issues in the ring. The 40-year-old star then sent a message on X, saying, “The Alpha is back.”
Taking it a step further, the former WWE Champion tried to get under Orton’s skin. He accused Rhodes of targeting his surgically repaired back, despite knowing the severity of the injury. McIntyre claimed Rhodes was using his mentor as a stepping stone for personal gain. The Scotsman didn’t stop there and brought up the Night of Champions match in Riyadh. He said Rhodes’ manipulation prevented Orton from hitting the punt kick to end the match.
On the other hand, Rhodes showed no hesitation using the exposed turnbuckle to defeat Orton. He won the 24th King of the Ring and secured a title shot at SummerSlam. McIntyre made it clear he had his eyes on The Prodigal Son moving forward. He stated that if Rhodes defeats John Cena for the Undisputed Title, he would be next in line to challenge for the title. However, The Viper had heard enough from McIntyre by that point, as he delivered a vicious RKO, leaving The Scottish Warrior laid out.
Drew McIntyre Is Set To Face Randy Orton at Saturday Night’s Main Event
Drew McIntyre made an explosive return to SmackDown, and WWE quickly capitalized on the momentum. Following the intense confrontation that opened the show, it was later announced that The Scottish Warrior will go one-on-one with Randy Orton at Saturday Night’s Main Event in Atlanta on July 12.
After taking a brutal RKO, McIntyre stormed straight into SmackDown GM Nick Aldis’ office. Frustrated and fired up, he made it clear that he didn’t strike first this time and demanded a match against Orton. Aldis confirmed that, although The Apex Predator had already left the building, the match was officially made for Saturday Night’s Main Event.
McIntyre and Orton share a storied history in WWE, with fans still remembering their iconic feud from the 2020 pandemic era, where they fought over the WWE Championship. Their last encounter took place on the March 28 episode of SmackDown earlier this year. With their rivalry now reignited, it will be interesting to see what the company has planned for these two top stars moving forward.