Since his return to WWE, Drew McIntyre has been on an absolute tear. Utterly destroying competition, McIntyre already looks primed for the main roster. But…that’s the thing. McIntyre could’ve gone straight to the main roster, a la AJ Styles. However, he chose the yellow brand over everything and anything else.
Like I mentioned last week, NXT is really just a more hardcore brand these days. All in all, it’s not the WWE’s minor league anymore. And really, Drew McIntyre is the leading man for that. If McIntyre can take the NXT Championship from Bobby Roode at NXT Takeover: Brooklyn, he could become the permanent answer that NXT needs to cement itself as a proper third brand.
Drew McIntyre: NXT’s Permanent Answer
Experience
Since his WWE release in 2014, McIntyre has been an amazing indie talent. Later in 2014, he made a return to ICW. Additionally, he wrestled for the no-longer upstart federation, WCPW. Along with those larger promotions, McIntyre has made his rounds on the smaller independent circuit. It’s safe to say that McIntyre is now a seasoned veteran, able to pass his talents on to the yellow brand’s young bucks. Well, maybe not the Young Bucks, but definitely NXT‘s younger talent. In any case, McIntyre is ready to be the veteran and teacher that NXT needs.
Age (Or Lack Thereof)
Even after all that independent experience, McIntyre is only 32 years old. Now, that’s great for an absolute myriad of reasons. First off, and most importantly, he’ll be able to be in NXT for a long time. McIntyre can cement himself as the face of the brand, a name which will no doubt garner a ton of respect. This makes sure that WWE’s “main roster” knows that NXT is for real. Secondly, it makes the yellow brand seem a bit more accessible. Even casual fans from a few years back know the name Drew McIntyre, because he’s at the sweet spot age of being young enough to bolster a roster, but old enough to be remembered by fans from his last WWE stint.
The Perfect Character
In some of the simplest terms, Drew McIntyre is a badass. While he does pack a serious punch on the mic, he backs it up by packing a serious punch with his…punches. In addition to that, he has that “Scottish Temper” trope going for him. So, what does a McIntyre-led “NXT is here to stay” angle look like? Well, they did try to do it in 2010 with Wade Barrett and the rest of the Nexus crew. Maybe with McIntyre at the helm of the attack, the storyline could really take off. Only time can tell, but it’s a safe assumption, at least.
Conclusion
The more you look at Drew McIntyre, the more he just seems like the right fit. Everything, from his character to his moveset to his incredibly over and familiar name, just checks out. All that WWE needs to do now is pull the trigger on this operation. Once they do that, NXT should truly be, independent in its own right.
