WWE Rumors: Drew McIntyre may have pushed for Heath Slater on Raw

Contrary to what Dolph Ziggler said on WWE Raw, Drew McIntyre hasn’t forgotten his friends from the past.

Drew McIntyre and Dolph Ziggler will have a WWE Title match at Extreme Rules on July 19, and the company is doing whatever they can to hype up a match that fans initially weren’t too keen on. Beyond having Ziggler pick a “secret” stipulation to even the odds (somewhat), they also had Heath Slater cut a fiery promo on McIntyre forgetting about him after he was released.

Slater has always been great on the mic and one of the most underrated wrestlers, always taking scraps and turning them into a three-course meal, so to speak. He shined in Monday night’s opening segment, eventually realizing, in kayfabe, that Ziggler had only brought him out to use him and was feeding him lies about how McIntyre felt. It led to an emotional embrace between Slater and McIntyre.

Cynically, WWE fans could view it as the promotion releasing someone they didn’t need to during the COVID-19 pandemic and then bringing him back for an extra date. But it looks like it may have been a final chance for Slater to show his value to potentially interested promotions before his non-compete clause runs out.

And according to a report from Sportskeeda’s Tom Colohue, Drew McIntyre had petitioned “endlessly” to be in matches with former “Three Man Band” members Jinder Mahal and Heath Slater. Mahal and McIntyre, for example, seemed to be on a trajectory for a world title feud after Mahal’s return, but the former WWE Champion had to take time off for another injury.

Colohue adds that McIntyre kept pitching for a match with Slater even after the latter’s release from WWE, so he “doubts” that the segment would have occurred this week without McIntyre constantly going to bat for Slater.

While WWE’s releases during the pandemic were heartless, it’s important to rally behind Slater in the hopes that he can get a good deal with another promotion and continue to work. He’s a talented, experienced wrestler who showed those talents to the world on July 6.