WWE Royal Rumble fever has begun to take hold of pro wrestling fans, and Cody Rhodes announcing his entry into the match on Raw has done nothing to lower the temperature. Speculation has run rampant regarding who could win next year’s men’s multi-man match, with Rhodes looking to finish his story being one option. CM Punk, fresh off his surprise return at Survivor Series, is another possible contender. Among his many accolades, The Second City Savior has never won a Royal Rumble match. One man who many consider to be a dark horse candidate at this point is Drew McIntyre.
McIntyre has been a bit of an enigma to fans over the past year. His inconsistent booking and long periods off WWE TV have sparked rumors that he is unhappy with his current position in the company. With his contract reportedly expiring sometime next year, some are assuming the Scottish star may have his sights set beyond the confines of WWE, perhaps in AEW. Fan theories were thrown into overdrive at Survivor Series when McIntyre could be seen exiting the ringside area prior to Punk’s debut. The puzzling move led many to believe there is heat between McIntyre and Punk, furthering speculation about his unhappiness.
Earlier today, Paul “Triple H” Levesque released the official poster for the 2024 Royal Rumble on X featuring Punk, Seth “Freaking” Rollins, Rhea Ripley, AJ Styles, Gunther, Logan Paul, Asuka, Finn Balor, Sami Zayn, Dominik Mysterio, Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, and more top talent.
One name conspicuously absent from the poster is McIntyre.
“Are you starting to understand my frustrations now?” he wrote on X.
It is worth noting that McIntyre also referenced reports about his frustrations with WWE during a live event pre-tape promo this past weekend. McIntyre may be leaning into the public narrative about his situation to bring realism to his current presentation.