Drew McIntyre Says Royal Rumble Win Means as Much as Any Title to Him

Drew McIntyre spoke with ESPN following his big Royal Rumble win at last night’s PPV, discussing the win’s importance to him and more. You can see highlights from the interview below:

On if he ever imagined winning the Rumble:

“I’d be a liar if I said I hadn’t imagined it. When I was away, I worked very hard. I was the busiest professional wrestler in the entire world. And I did that intentionally to get as good as I possibly could, to get every experience I possibly could — to come back to WWE one day and fulfill that potential. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have the images in my head. But pulling it off is a whole different story.”

On his character connecting more with fans recently:

“On Raw, I hadn’t quite found myself the way I had outside the company, until the past couple of months. I think I was in a good position. I was the big, nasty heel that a lot of guys could work with. But I was also the big, hairy, gigantic Scotsman that no one could really relate to. But over the past couple of months, I’ve been allowed to get a bit more freedom on that microphone.

I was essentially told, just be yourself. I’ve always said, ‘I’m not good or bad. I’m just gonna show Drew Galloway.’ That’s who Drew McIntyre is — the real me. Now, I’m showing the real me. The crowds are responding, because I’m letting them in. They’re relating to me a bit more, and that’s why I think the time is perfect. They’re reacting, I won the Royal Rumble and it’s frickin’ WrestleMania season.”

On the personal importance of the Rumble win:

“It means as much to me as any championship. I’ve had a lot of highlights in my career in the company — and not with the company. This is the biggest moment of my career. The emotion that came over me at the end when I heard 40,000 people react the way they reacted, so many things went through my head.”

On taking the Rock’s quote ‘all it takes is all you got’ as a personal mantra:

“I kind of took that to heart when I was outside the company, to the point where I ran myself into the ground a few times. I made myself sick a few times by running so hard. But I just never stopped in the gym, I never stopped on my way to getting as good as possible for when the opportunity came. That opportunity finally came, and I wasn’t going to let it slip through my fingers.”

On inspiring others through his success in WWE:

“I say, ‘Trust me.’ Drew McIntyre has done it, then got fired. Then he done it again. Then he won the Royal Rumble, and now he’s going to frickin’ WrestleMania in his hometown in America. It can be done. Just give everything you bloody can.”