Drew McIntyre may have been away from WWE television since WrestleMania 42, but the former WWE Champion has not been entirely separated from a wrestling ring during his time working in film. McIntyre revealed that a three-month stay in Barcelona while filming The Last Druid gave him an unexpected opportunity to get back between the ropes.
McIntyre has been occupied with movie projects since his loss to Jacob Fatu at WrestleMania 42, including work on The Last Druid and Highlander. The acting commitments have kept him out of WWE storylines, but his comments make clear that the absence from the ring has not reduced his desire to wrestle. If anything, the extended time abroad appears to have reinforced it.
During an appearance on Busted Open Radio, McIntyre was asked by Bully Ray whether he was feeling the urge to return to the ring. His answer left little doubt about where his mindset stands.
“Oh yeah. I had an itch so bad that I’ve been getting back in the ring and just moving around. I spent three months in Barcelona filming ‘The Last Druid’ after I finished ‘Highlander.’ I literally lived there for three months, and I said, ‘I can’t do this. I have to get in the ring.’”
For more background on this topic, read R-Truth Says He Is Okay Following WWE SmackDown Injury Scare.
A Local Connection Led McIntyre Back Into the Ring
McIntyre explained that the opening came through someone working on the production. One of the extras was also a stunt performer and a local independent wrestler, and McIntyre was informed that there was a ring available in the area. Rather than simply waiting for his schedule to take him back to WWE, McIntyre made the trip to get some time in the ring.
“One of the extras, a stuntman, was a local indie guy, and they told me they had a ring there. I went down and just started rolling around in the ring. I was beating up some of his guys just to get my fix. I feel bad for those guys with the way I wrestle. I practice the way I play, so I’m beating the crap out of them with no cameras there.”
The comments were delivered with McIntyre’s familiar sense of humor, but they also underline a significant point: his time away from WWE programming has included actual in-ring activity. He was not describing a promotional appearance, a scripted scene for one of his film projects, or a brief visit to a venue. McIntyre said he was rolling around and working with local wrestlers because he needed the outlet.
For a wrestler whose style has long been built around force, intensity, and physical presence, the idea that he approaches training with the same aggression he brings to televised matches is unsurprising. McIntyre has developed a reputation as one of WWE’s most imposing performers over the course of his career, and his comments suggest that mentality remains firmly intact even when there are no cameras or live television audiences involved.
McIntyre Has Been Off WWE Television Since WrestleMania 42
McIntyre’s most recent WWE television appearance came at WrestleMania 42, where he was defeated by Jacob Fatu. Since then, his focus has shifted toward filming. The time away has allowed McIntyre to pursue a growing slate of acting work, with Highlander and The Last Druid among the projects named by the Scottish star.
That move into movies has also shaped the way McIntyre has presented himself publicly. He has referred to himself as “Hollywood Drew” in interviews, embracing the fact that his career currently extends beyond WWE rings and arenas. It is a fitting label for a performer taking on major filming commitments while remaining one of the more recognizable WWE names of his generation.
Still, “Hollywood Drew” has not meant that McIntyre is finished with professional wrestling. His Barcelona story paints a different picture: an established WWE talent in the middle of a demanding overseas production, unable to ignore the pull of the ring for three months and actively seeking out a place to train.
There is an important distinction between maintaining general athletic conditioning for a role and seeking wrestling-specific reps. McIntyre’s account focused on the latter. Getting in a ring, moving around, and working with other wrestlers is a direct connection to the craft that made him a top-level WWE name. It also suggests that the ring remains central to his identity despite the current emphasis on filmmaking.
No Return Date Has Been Announced
McIntyre did not provide a date for his WWE return, nor did he identify a particular opponent or storyline awaiting him. He did, however, state that he will return to WWE on his own terms. That leaves his immediate future open while establishing that a comeback is something he expects to make rather than a question he is avoiding.
At present, there is no reason to attach a specific timetable to his return. Film production schedules can be demanding and are often subject to changes, while WWE creative plans can evolve quickly depending on the wider roster picture. McIntyre’s remarks should not be treated as confirmation of an imminent appearance. What they do confirm is his desire to wrestle and his willingness to keep himself connected to the ring while working outside WWE.
That is a notable message for fans following his absence after WrestleMania 42. McIntyre has not described a retreat from wrestling. Instead, he has described a period in which he is balancing another professional opportunity with a persistent urge to remain active in the environment where he has spent much of his career.
What a McIntyre Return Could Mean for WWE
Whenever McIntyre does resume WWE television duties, he will return as a proven main-event level figure with unfinished possibilities across the roster. His WrestleMania 42 loss to Jacob Fatu remains his last confirmed WWE result, making that defeat an obvious point of reference whenever his next chapter begins. Whether WWE revisits that matchup or takes McIntyre in an entirely different direction remains unknown.
His absence could also give WWE a fresh way to frame his eventual return. McIntyre has the credibility of a former WWE Champion, the visibility that comes with high-profile film work, and now a self-aware “Hollywood Drew” persona that could be played in several directions. WWE could present him as a conquering star returning from a new arena of entertainment, or McIntyre could use the time away as a reminder that he has remained hungry for the physical competition that wrestling provides.
The Barcelona training story lends itself to the latter interpretation. McIntyre was not speaking about red carpets, trailers, or the comforts of a movie set. He was talking about finding a local ring and hitting hard enough that he felt sympathy for the wrestlers helping him train. That is the language of someone who still wants the intensity of wrestling, regardless of what else is happening in his career.
For now, McIntyre’s WWE future remains without a publicly announced return date. His comments from Barcelona nevertheless offer a clear update on his condition and motivation. While filming kept him away from WWE television, it did not keep him away from wrestling entirely. The itch to compete became strong enough that he found a ring on the other side of the world, got back to work, and reminded everyone that his eventual WWE return will come from a performer who has not lost his appetite for the fight.
Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.