At the start of this week's edition of WWE Friday Night SmackDown, Drew McIntyre started to hijack the program, planning to be out there all night until SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis made things right.
This was in response to losing the Undisputed WWE Championship in the main event of last week's show, wherein he dropped the title back to Cody Rhodes. For those who are out of the loop, McIntyre defeated Rhodes for the championship on January 9th in a Three Stages of Hell match. During the last phase of that, which was a steel cage match, McIntyre was able to win by escaping the cage due to interference from Jacob Fatu, who came out to fight with Drew but ended up also clashing with Rhodes.
Over the following weeks, McIntyre continued to try to cost Rhodes opportunities to win the title back, including at Elimination Chamber (causing Randy Orton to win it instead). Aldis had had enough of McIntyre's antics and booked him to face Rhodes, ultimately with Fatu coming out to interfere and help Rhodes regain the title to make things even between them (and to cost The Scottish Warrior).
Upset over this, McIntyre accused Aldis of orchestrating this title change so that his golden boy (Rhodes) could be champion again.
When Aldis came out and pointed out all the hypocrisy, as well as how it was a fair loss considering Drew had headbutted a referee and such, Jacob Fatu then also came out, ready for a fight. However, McIntyre wasn't having it, and simply said that he quit.
It's important to note that this is in storyline, rather than a legitimate situation of Drew Galloway the performer himself quitting World Wrestling Entertainment and TKO. For all we know, McIntyre could be back by the end of this episode, even.
McIntyre previously quit WWE in a storyline two years ago after being frustrated with his loss at WWE Clash at the Castle in Scotland in June 2024. He's also been storyline suspended indefinitely at times as well, so this is fitting his character.
What does this mean regarding WrestleMania?
In all likelihood, this changes nothing. If McIntyre takes any time off at all, it will probably be so temporary that it will almost not exist, and he and Fatu will be in some fight soon enough. Nothing points toward Fatu doing something else or for McIntyre to be leaving WWE for an extended period of time, despite some random Facebook post going around a few days ago trying to claim that he would be gone after WrestleMania.
Yours truly is certainly anticipating a gimmick match of some kind between Fatu and McIntyre to settle the score, but that has yet to be confirmed. Stay tuned to TheRingReport for more information once this story develops further.
Update: As predicted, McIntyre appeared later on this episode of SmackDown to interfere with Fatu's match against Trick Williams, attacking The Samoan Werewolf and costing him the match.