Drew McIntyre has done a lot in his WWE career.
The 35-year-old is a two-time WWE heavyweight champion, and a former Intercontinental and NXT champion. He looks to become a three-time WWE titlist when he squares off with champion Bobby Lashley and Braun Strowman in a triple threat match at WrestleMania Backlash on Sunday.
Perhaps, when it is all said and done, the biggest accomplishment of McIntyre's career could be as an author, as his book, "A Chosen Destiny, My Story", is now available.
(Editor's note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.)
DAZN: How does it feel to have the book out finally?
Drew McIntyre: Mental, crazy, unbelievable. I can't believe that I have a book. I've been to the store and actually seen it there with my own two eyes. It’s a real thing. My story is out there.
DAZN: We talked a little more than a month ago, and you've done it all. You have been WWE Champion. You have headlined WrestleMania and done just about everything in pro wrestling. Where does this rank on top of the professional list for you?
DM: This is really cool. I remember being a kid just obsessed with wrestling. The first book I ever read from cover to cover was Mick Foley's book, “Have a Nice Day,” at about 13 years old, and just powering through every wrestling book I could get my hands on. That's probably the only books I've ever read cover to cover. All my English books, even my university books, I would just read what was necessary to complete the essay I had to complete. I would power through those wrestling books cover to cover, read them twice, three times. Now I've got my own book, just unbelievable. The funny thing is, I didn't think to myself, 'what the world needs right now is a Drew McIntyre book.' It was brought to my attention by people that said, ‘Drew, we'd like to get your story in print.’ I said, ‘Why, that's something you do at the end of my career?’
They (WWE) told me, ‘Nobody knows how open you are in general. You do all these interviews (and) you talk about your story and how detailed you get, and you're never holding back. It (the book) inspires a lot of people to keep chasing their dreams and never give up, especially during these difficult times over the past year, and if we put it in print, we may be able to help a few people.’ I talked to my wife, and my mind was made up already and thought if we can help a few people through my story. I just don't want to hold back. I'm going to be an open book, so to speak, and put it all out there for the world to see good points and bad points. There's a lot of difficult times that I went through in my life that I detail in the book, not just professionally but especially personally. If it can help somebody out there going through a tough time, that's what it's all about.
DAZN: When we talked last month, I felt like I was your good luck charm as you beat Brock (Lesnar) at WrestleMania, and you agreed. You said if you didn't win the next time you come to Chicago, you're coming at me when you guys get back on the road here. The security cameras are going to be out.
DM: We’re not traveling right now. You’re nice enough to speak with me today about the book, so we've got some time for you to make up for it.
DAZN: Now, Drew, I may have to call Tyson Fury.
DM: He’s cutting promos on me the other day from Vegas. It's pretty surreal to me. When I turn on my Twitter, and he does respond. It's been over a year now that we've been going back and forth with each other. It’s gets people talking. I know there's going to be a day where we finally make something happen. It's going to be big, and ideally, I think it's going to be in the UK.
DAZN: Is that something you really desire? You get all these other big matches. But something outside of the WWE realm, when you look at what he's about to do, he's going to be fighting for the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world either at the end of July or the beginning of August. I feel like that helps your profile. Do you feel that's the case as well?
DM: Yeah, it helps my profile. But for me, it's more about how we can draw new fans to WWE, and he has such a significant fan base with a different market. He's such an entertainer. He has worked with us before, so he gets it. And somewhere like, say the UK, we've not had a significant pay-per-view in the UK since SummerSlam ‘92. A very long time. It deserves one. It would need something on top that's larger than life. It can’t get more larger than life to take two of the UK’s most successful sons in their fields and have a Battle of Britain. I think they're just the marquee itself. Obviously, I'd love to wrestle one of our guys and have the technical back and forth, 30-minute masterclass. This wouldn't be the most technical thing in the world. It would be good. I think it would surprise people how good it would be. But just to get those new eyeballs on the product, to get that big UK show, and to make some new fans in the process. That would be pretty cool.
DAZN: I know you guys have had your back and forth a little bit. Is that something where you think about it, and you're like, ‘You know what, that would be pretty fun to do?’ I can legitimately see that happening within the next 12 to 24 months.
DM: 100 percent I see it happening. I've got a vision of how I'd like to see it happen. I don't make the decisions. That's for others to talk about behind closed doors. But I know somewhere like the UK it would be huge business. I know for meeting Fury, watching him, and the way he went about things when he was here last time. He's willing to put everything he's got into it. With me, I know I can get a performance out of anybody on this planet. I know he's willing to put in the work, and he's such an entertainer on top of it. It would be a big deal.
DAZN: The big match that people want to see and have a good build with it is with you and Roman Reigns. You guys didn't get that massive build for Survivor Series. It was very short and didn’t get the proper build for a big-time match like that deserves. Maybe I'm wrong here, and you can correct me if I'm wrong, but the big match in WWE that people do want to see is between you and Roman Reigns.
DM: I hope so because that's the big match I'd like to see down the line. We only had a few weeks or f-that, I think we had like three shows. Yeah, it wasn't included. We didn't have much time to build it. But I know the chemistry has always been there with Roman and I, especially where I'm at as a character now, and he's doing the most unbelievable work right now. It clicked right away. We have such interesting stories, and we're feeling as good as I've ever felt as characters right now. That was cool to give everyone a taste of it. I know it'd be awesome to come back around to it. I just love watching what Roman’s up to right now.
I'm such a fan of his in general, and especially the work he's doing right now is believable. He's feeling it. He knows where he's at as a character, and it's pretty much the opposite of what he used to be. Where he used to be is where I'm at right now in being the fighting champion, putting the work, and being the workhorse. It's interesting how those roles are flipped. I’m excited about the possibility of what we can do down the line because he's absolutely killing it right now. I'm just going to keep doing it. If people want to see it, but us back together, give us time and watch us go.
DAZN: I do have a place where that match can happen. Maybe you agree with this Drew: AT&T Stadium.
DM: Hmmm…
DAZN: WrestleMania 38. That would be a pretty cool spot. Pack 101,000 people like WrestleMania 32, and we call it a day.
DM: I'm sold. That’s a genius idea. I'm going to get Vince (McMahon) on the phone. You pitch it to him, and let's make it happen.