Drew McIntyre Finally Addresses Walking Out After CM Punk’s Return and Royal Rumble Drama with LA Knight

Drew McIntyre isn’t denying he’s had some heated moments backstage—but now he’s opening up about why. In a new interview on Wafflin’, the former WWE Champion didn’t just confirm the rumors surrounding his walkouts—he gave the clearest explanation yet.

When asked if he’s ever gotten into fights off-camera, Drew didn’t hesitate. “Yeah, I mean, I try to be professional these days… but whenever I get angry, it ends up on the internet like, ‘Drew storms out and is pissed off.’” He explained that those blowups are rare—but when they happen, he knows himself well enough to walk away before things escalate.

That brought him to the night CM Punk returned at Survivor Series 2023—an event fans long suspected triggered Drew. “You know, the night CM Punk returned, I may have definitely left the arena. I was so angry—not necessarily just about that. There were a couple of reasons,” Drew admitted. He said his exit was intentional so as not to detract from the big moment, especially with cameras focused on Seth Rollins yelling at Punk. “With Seth Rollins 20 feet away shaking his fist, getting angry, swearing at him… and me, who left the arena, because when I’m actually angry, I couldn’t stand that close.”

McIntyre said he knows how dangerous his anger can be if unchecked. “I would walk up and punch somebody in the face, because I’m a grown man. I don’t shout things from a distance. I hit people, or I walk away and calm down.”

And he wasn’t done. When talking about the Royal Rumble—where LA Knight reportedly upset him by “getting his stuff in” before McIntyre’s elimination—Drew alluded to that incident, too. “At the Royal Rumble, something similar happened,” he said. “So you know, once every couple of years, exploding enough that it ends up on the internet—it’s not too bad, especially for a Scotsman with anger problems.”

His comments now add full context to two of the most talked-about backstage stories in recent WWE history—and show that while Drew McIntyre might lose his cool, he’s also aware enough to walk away instead of throwing hands.

What do you think about Drew’s way of handling heat behind the scenes? Should more stars follow his lead, or is walking out the wrong move? Drop your thoughts in the comments.

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