Drew McIntyre Recalls WWE In-Ring Moment Where He Arrived At The Top

It hasn't always been the smoothest of roads for Drew McIntyre, but since his return to WWE in April 2017, "The Scottish Warrior" has finally reached the heights that were expected of him during his first stint with the company over a decade ago. And while he's not one to rest on his laurels, the former "chosen one" does know the moment when he felt he had truly arrived at the top.

Speaking in a recent interview (via The Dallas Morning News), McIntyre said he believes winning the Royal Rumble in January 2020 was what cemented him as a top guy, not only within himself, but to the fans as well — though even then, he wasn't entirely sure how the WWE Universe was going to react.

"We've seen the crowds in the past when Batista won one year and Roman Reigns won one year with The Rock raising his arm, and the crowd booed when they were hoping that they would get cheered," McIntyre said. "There was the possibility that could have happened to me on that night. Edge returned after a nine-year hiatus, and they might have wanted to see him get that big victory."

McIntyre credits his elimination of Brock Lesnar as the moment that swung the momentum. "The fact that I eliminated Brock [Lesnar] with such a big reaction, 40,000 people, and then inevitably won and still got that same reaction, the people really rallied behind me," he said. "It was an incredible feeling. And it's when Drew McIntyre arrived at the top level."

McIntyre currently finds himself locked in a feud with Karrion Kross after falling short in his quest to dethrone the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, Roman Reigns. Kross and McIntyre are scheduled to face one another in a Strap Match at WWE Extreme Rules on October 8.