Drew McIntyre made a dramatic return to WWE television last week on Raw, ending a two-month hiatus following his brutal Hell in a Cell match against CM Punk at Bad Blood in October. McIntyre’s return came as a shock to fans, as he closed out Raw with a surprise attack on Sami Zayn.
McIntyre had been sidelined after sustaining a severe head injury during his Hell in a Cell match, caused by a toolbox strike from Punk. The injury left him needing 16 staples to close a wound on the top of his head. WWE opted to give McIntyre time off to recover, but his comeback was accelerated due to Bronson Reed’s recent injury at Survivor Series. Reed suffered an ankle injury during WarGames, leaving him indefinitely out of action and prompting WWE to shuffle plans.
Speaking to 12 News, McIntyre opened up about his time away from the company, citing both physical recovery and personal loss as factors in his absence.
“I had a Hell in a Cell match that was incredibly brutal. During the match, I got hit in the head at one point and ended up needing 16 staples to close a wound on the top of my head,” McIntyre said. “On top of that, I suffered a personal loss in my family, which required me to return to Scotland to deal with it. This made me reevaluate my priorities. I realized I’ve been giving too much to my profession and colleagues, and not enough to my family. After 17 years of dedicating myself fully to wrestling, I’ve decided it’s time to take a step back and focus more on what truly matters to me.”
Despite this reflective tone, McIntyre’s actions on Raw suggest that his in-ring story is far from over. He is slated to address his recent absence and his surprise attack on Zayn on tonight’s episode of Raw, where fans will likely get more insight into his future plans.
