WATCH: Drew McIntyre brutalizes 41-year-old star on SmackDown ahead of grudge match at WrestleMania

Drew McIntyre made a statement by brutally attacking his WrestleMania opponent on the latest episode of SmackDown.

WATCH: Drew McIntyre brutalizes 41-year-old star on SmackDown ahead of grudge match at WrestleMania

Drew McIntyre [via WWE]

The escalating feud between Drew McIntyre and Damian Priest is intensifying each week. Both wrestlers have been taking shots at each other. The Scottish Warrior blames Priest for spoiling several of his defining moments, while Priest argues that McIntyre’s actions are what led to his own downfall. The rivalry escalated dramatically when the former WWE Champion brutally attacked Priest.

On the latest episode of SmackDown, as the former Judgment Day member came out to cut a promo, Drew McIntyre launched a vicious attack, getting payback for Priest’s assault the previous week. The Scottish Warrior then removed his eye patch and revealed that he was fully cleared to face Damian Priest at WrestleMania 41.

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However, the 41-year-old star came out once again, fighting through the pain to take on his WrestleMania opponent. Although he landed a few moves and did some damage, McIntyre quickly regained control by attacking Priest with the steel steps. He then took things further by hitting a brutal Future Shock DDT on the steps. To make it even more personal, The Chosen One snatched Priest’s necklace and kept it.

McIntyre’s actions reminded many fans of his rivalry with CM Punk. During that feud, the Scottish Warrior took Punk’s bracelet, which had the names of his dog, Larry, and his wife, AJ Lee, on it. His upcoming match against Priest at the Showcase of the Immortals will be a Sin City Street Fight. With no rules and both heavy hitters looking to hurt each other, fans could witness one of the best matches of the weekend.

Drew McIntyre revealed why he stormed out of the arena following his elimination from the Royal Rumble

The WWE Universe has seen several moments where McIntyre lost control due to his anger. One of the most notable was when Punk returned at Survivor Series: WarGames two years ago. The most recent example came at this year’s Royal Rumble, when he was eliminated by Priest. The former WWE Champion later explained why he stormed out of the arena after his elimination.

Drew McIntyre and Sami Zayn
Drew McIntyre and Sami Zayn [via WWE]

While speaking on the Getting Over podcast, McIntyre revealed that his outburst was triggered by someone being unprofessional in the ring. Although he admitted that some details of the incident weren’t entirely accurate, he was genuinely angry and made his feelings clear to the people backstage. The Chosen One added that what frustrated him the most was someone trying to make themselves look good at his expense.

Not all the details are accurate, but yeah, I was fuming, and I let everybody know what I thought, and then I left. For me, it’s just if I ever feel somebody did something disrespectful, went into business for themselves and the likes. That’s when I get frustrated.

Drew McIntyre on the Getting Over podcast
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Although not confirmed, controversy surrounded LA Knight, with speculation that he was the one who upset McIntyre. It was believed that Knight’s actions disrupted McIntyre’s planned elimination, forcing a reset in the sequence. This incident reportedly led to McIntyre’s outburst in the Gorilla position. Whether fans like him or not, one thing the WWE Universe can always expect from The Scottish Warrior is professionalism.

Drew McIntyre is on a redemption quest at WrestleMania 41

When a superstar wins the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania, it’s usually a career-defining moment. But that wasn’t the case for McIntyre last year. Even though he defeated Seth Rollins to win the title, his moment was ruined by his longtime rival Punk.

Drew McIntyre
Drew McIntyre [via WWE]

At WrestleMania XL, The Scottish Warrior faced champion Rollins in the opening match of Night 2. McIntyre came out on top, defeating Rollins with a Claymore Kick. Despite being a heel, the WWE Universe was happy for him, believing he deserved his crowning moment in front of thousands of fans. However, he made a big mistake when he decided to mock The Best in the World, who was sitting at the commentary table.

After a heated exchange, Punk lost control and attacked the new champion. Priest, who held the Money in the Bank contract at the time, took advantage of the chaos and cashed in to pin McIntyre, becoming the new World Heavyweight Champion. McIntyre’s reign ended in just 5 minutes and 46 seconds. Now, The Chosen One is determined to get his revenge by taking down Priest in Las Vegas.

Related: 12-time Champion lashes out at WWE botching the advertisement of his WrestleMania 41 title match