Drew McIntyre Makes His Return to SmackDown after More Than a Month

Taking it a step further, the former WWE Champion tried to get under Orton’s skin by accusing Rhodes of targeting his surgically repaired back, despite knowing the severity of the injury. Moreover, he even tried to plant seeds of doubt inside Orton’s mind about Rhodes’s alleged charade to use his mentor as a stepping stone. The Scotsman didn’t stop there. McIntyre even said that, owing to Rhodes’ manipulation, Orton could not hit him with the punt kick to end the match in Riyadh.

But on the other hand, Rhodes showed no hesitation in using the exposed turnbuckle against Orton to win the 24th King of the Ring and punch his ticket to SummerSlam. He also made it clear that he has his eyes on ‘The Prodigal Son’, stating that if Rhodes manages to defeat John Cena for the Undisputed Title at SummerSlam, he will be the next man coming after him.

However, ‘The Viper’ had heard enough from Drew McIntyre. Classically, he responded with a vicious RKO, leaving ‘The Scottish Warrior’ laid out in the ring before making his exit. As he walked away, ‘The Apex Predator’ shot a glance at Cody Rhodes, subtly hinting that something sinister was brewing in his mind. With tensions running high, this week’s SmackDown kicked off with a bang, setting the stage for some blockbuster plans heading into SNME and SummerSlam.

Drew McIntyre is set to face Randy Orton at Saturday Night’s Main Event next week

Drew McIntyre made an explosive return to SmackDown, and WWE wasted no time capitalizing on the momentum. Following the intense confrontation that kicked off 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, McIntyre made it clear that he didn’t strike first this time and demanded a match against Orton. Aldis confirmed that while ‘The Apex Predator’ had already left the building, the match was made official.

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.

Drew McIntyre subtly revealed his new moniker in WWE

Drew McIntyre has gone by several monikers throughout his WWE career, including ‘The Chosen One’, ‘The Scottish Psychopath’, and ‘The Scottish Warrior’. However, with his return to SmackDown, McIntyre appears to be teasing a new moniker, hinting at a fresh chapter in his WWE journey.

Taking to X, Drew McIntyre shared a photo of himself with the caption, “The Alpha is back.” By referring to himself as ‘The Alpha’, McIntyre seemingly hinted at adopting a new moniker for this next chapter of his WWE run.

The former WWE Champion has often asserted that he’s been carrying the company on his back, viewing himself as the true cornerstone of WWE. With that mindset, ‘The Alpha’ could be a fitting new moniker for the Scottish-born superstar.