Drew McIntyre recently touched on his highly personal rivalry with CM Punk and how it blends storyline and real life. McIntyre spoke with Busted Open Radio ahead of Saturday’s PPV and you can see some highlights below (per Fightful and Wrestling Inc):
On the match being looked at as the main event despite having no title involved: “That means a lot. I heard it a few times since I got here. The fans were asked, they didn’t even know I was there, ‘What do you think the main event should be?’ They said, ‘Punk and McIntyre.’ The deep, layered storytelling we can do it. Personal rivalries is where it’s at. That’s where the money is at. That’s what makes people feel. If they’re feeling something out of this Punk and McIntyre feud, they should because it’s real. It does mean a lot to me. If anyone is on after us, good luck, folks.”
On the storyline of his feud with Punk: “I’ve been screwed time and time again,” he said. “I’d debate anybody who feels otherwise. Someone calls me a bad guy. Tell me how I’m the bad guy. They tell me their opinion, I tell them the facts and they go, ‘You know what? I never thought about it that way.'”
On Triple H’s creative process benefiting their feud: “If you truly know who you are. they will allow you to be yourself 100%… It’s awesome that I can go all the way with — I’m doing quotations, ‘storylines’ — that I don’t like CM Punk. I can’t freakin’ stand the guy.”
On his past issues with Punk: “There’s way more to it when it comes to myself and Punk and the way he affected my career when I was younger. I’ve not got into detail about it, you know, and maybe I will eventually, but you’ve seen him screw me over time and time again on television. You’ve seen him try to defeat me … I’ve kicked his ass on the mic, I’m gonna kick his ass in the ring.”
On Punk’s being injury prone: “I just want him to make it to tomorrow. As long as he doesn’t injure himself wiping his ass or something… I’m scared to touch the guy. Thank God we couldn’t touch each other or he would break… I’m intending to hurt him. This is not going to be a pretty wrestling match. I’m gonna blacken his eyes. I’m gonna break his jaw. I’m gonna tear his triceps. I’m gonna tear his quads. The guy’s gonna be begging for mercy.” And he puts a noticeable exclamation point on his stance on Punk with the certainty he has in the eventual outcome, stating, “I’m in my prime in the ring, out [of] the ring, physically, as a character, and I’m gonna crush that prick.”
