Monday’s episode of WWE Raw marked the highly anticipated return of Drew McIntyre, who had been off television since his grueling Hell in a Cell match against CM Punk at Bad Blood in October.
McIntyre sustained a severe head injury during the match, courtesy of a toolbox strike from Punk. The blow left him requiring 16 staples to close a wound on the top of his head. Following the injury, WWE decided to give McIntyre time off to recover.
McIntyre made a dramatic comeback at the end of Raw, targeting Sami Zayn in a surprise attack. Reports indicate that discussions about McIntyre’s return had been ongoing, but PWInsider notes his reappearance came sooner than expected.
According to backstage sources, Bronson Reed’s recent injury at Survivor Series may have accelerated McIntyre’s return. Reed suffered an ankle injury while diving off the top of the cage during WarGames, sidelining him indefinitely.
McIntyre is now set to appear at WWE’s holiday week live events, including the annual show at Madison Square Garden, where fans will undoubtedly welcome his return to action.
