Drew McIntyre Gives Heartbreaking Interview, Calls Out WWE "Family" Before Walking Out

The former WWE Champion abruptly walked out of an interview during SiriusXM's Busted Open Radio Holiday Party.

Drew McIntyre / WWE.com

Drew McIntyre shocked SiriusXM's "Busted Open" hosts Dave LaGreca, Bully Ray, Mark Henry, and Tommy Dreamer by abruptly walking out of an interview during the "Busted Open Radio Holiday Party" yesterday after chiding the WWE locker room and the fans.

McIntyre commented on the time he's spent away from his family and how he feels that giving so much to WWE and the business was a mistake. He stated that he took time off due to a death in his family, as well as to recuperate from his injuries sustained at Bad Blood, but that he felt slighted that almost no one in the WWE locker room - people he called "family" - called or texted to check on him.

He then stated that he feels like "smart marks" and internet wrestling fans are ruining the product because WWE is "placating" too much to them and their opinions. McIntyre ended his commentary by telling the internet fans, "I don't give a f*** about your opinion", threw his mic on the floor, and walked out the studio.

MORE: Drew McIntyre Issues A Reminder On Social Media Following His WWE Raw Return

His statement in full below:

I’ve always given to this industry, probably too much and I never really felt like I got too much back. And I would be over the moon if I thought people were following suit and it’d be good for the industry and for the future.

To be completely honest after Hell in a Cell I went back home, a close family member died I don’t care about the staples in my head, all that sh*t. I don’t care about the injuries, I’ve showed up with broken bones, never told the office and worked right through it. But I’ve never had true time at home ever, in 17 years. I’ve only ever been home when there’s a wrestling show, I’ve missed weddings birthdays, some funerals just for this industry. My mum passed I was back at work after a couple of weeks, I never truly dealt with it. And going home this time and spending real time with my family I realized I might have made a mistake.

I’ve given and given and given to this industry and it’s taken and taken and taken from my real family. I’m trying to keep it together in respect to everybody sitting with me right now, but as much as we’re on the road and we call each other family that’s a matter of convenience. I was with my real family and when I was gone for three months I can count on one finger how many people checked in, like ‘How you doing Drew?’ And it really opened my eyes. I was gone from around here and I tried to stay away from social media and the likes, obviously I’ll be back ripping people and I’ll be myself but I’ll see things like someone cuts a one minute promo and ‘That’s the best promo of the year’, or ‘What have you done for me lately?’ The same old crap, it occurred to me why are we placating so much to the smart marks? The internet fans? When did things change?

And I realized it wasn’t when we started together, I was a young kid when we started letting the marks in the locker room and they’re truly getting to me. And I hate to say this but I gave and gave and gave and as far as wrestling on TV is concerned I’m going to take and take and take. Tomorrow morning I’m still going to be out there helping the homeless, things that really mean something to me. But when it comes to Drew McIntyre on TV, Drew McIntyre in general, I really hate to say this cause I didn’t believe it in the past until I saw the proof right in front of my face, the lack of contact and the look on my family’s face, realizing everything I’ve missed that I’m just going to take from now on.

When I leave this industry I won’t just be one of those guys, like when I was a kid in the locker room on the indies that are just chasing the last pay check, chasing that last bit of glory, ‘Please remember me’. When I leave, when I retire I will have accomplished everything and it doesn’t matter if you’re Mark Henry, Bully Ray, Tommy Dreamer, Stone Cold Steve Austin, when you’re gone they move on and they forget, and it sucks but it’s true.

So as far as I’m concerned, when it comes to the internet fans; I don’t give a f*** about your opinion.

- Drew McIntyre

(h/t to Wrestletalk.com for the transcription.)

Following the incident, McIntyre posted the video clip of his full statement to his X account with the caption, "F*** you for making me do this."

Fuck you for making me do this. pic.twitter.com/SfC8vGgrYj

— Drew (@DMcIntyreWWE) December 13, 2024

McIntyre recently spoke with KWCH 12 News regarding his absence and stated many of the same points he made on "Busted Open".

I was off the past two months. My last match was a Hell in a Cell match, a very brutal match. I got hit in the head at one point and needed sixteen staples to close a wound at the top of my head. I suffered a family loss as well so I went back to Scotland to deal with that and re-evaluate my priorities and realize that I have probably given a bit too much to my profession, to my colleagues, and not enough to my family.

"I kind of realized I've been giving a bit too much for the past 17 years and it's time to start taking a little more. My mentality is: I'm going to take what's mine. I'm going to beat up the people who deserve to get beat up.

- Drew McIntyre

McIntyre is scheduled to wrestle Sami Zayn at Saturday Night's Main Event in Long Island, NY. The start time for the event is 8pm EST/5pm PST, and will air on NBC.

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