During a promo segment on RAW in 2024, CM Punk questioned who had named Drew McIntyre “The Chosen One,” referencing Vince McMahon, whose name has not been mentioned on WWE TV since his resignation. This moment left McIntyre momentarily speechless.
Speaking to Inside The Ropes, McIntyre revealed he had a comeback ready but chose not to use it. He had considered reminding Punk that McMahon fired him on his wedding day but opted to stay professional.
Reflecting on the segment, McIntyre felt it proved he could verbally go toe-to-toe with anyone, including Punk, and he ultimately let Punk have the last word, believing it was best for WWE.
Here’s what McIntyre said:
“What’s going through my mind is: ‘The same person that fired you on your wedding day.’ But I’m a professional. I think by that point, people started seeing what I was capable of on the microphone like it was a new thing.
If you watched my stuff outside of WWE, you know when I’m comfortable and the reins are taken off me. I don’t care who it is, I can go toe to toe with anyone. Even Punk.
If you watch the first interview we had, the look in his eyes throughout the promo and how much it changed, you realize this is not the same kid that was an arse so many years ago. He was ready that night, I was ready that night and we went back and forth and back and forth, just hitting each other with these lines.
And again, this is not something that’s written on a piece of paper like you say this and I’ll say that. This is just two guys going for it, two guys that have got some banter, and two guys that genuinely don’t like each other in a place as hot as Chicago where Punk’s from.
Then that one line, once we’d finally gone back and forth so much, it was a choice for me to make. Do I go back and then we see where we end up? Or do I bite my tongue and say OK, this round belongs to you.
I’ll be a professional. I’ll do it for the company as well as the de facto babyface, even though I’m really the real babyface of the situation. So I let him have it. For the company, not for him.”
