Drew Mcintyre

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.

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CM Punk Injury Update

If you have been wondering why CM Punk never actually provided an injury update when he appeared on the June 21 episode of SmackDown, there is a reason for that.

Per Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of Ringside News), as of June 28, The Best in the World had not been medically cleared to compete.

It seemed like this was the case when WWE had Drew McIntyre attack Punk offscreen before laying his limp body out on the stage in front of the Chicago crowd.

The entire build for Punk appearing on SmackDown—he is normally a Raw Superstar—was because he was going to his doctor early in the week with the hope he would receive medical clearance to perform in the ring again.

There was some assumption that WWE would start building toward the Punk-McIntyre match for SummerSlam. While it's possible he could still be cleared in time to do the match on that show, it doesn't appear it has happened yet.

Punk is recovering from a torn triceps suffered during the men's Royal Rumble match that required surgery. That was his first televised match after returning to WWE at Survivor Series.

McIntyre will square off with Ilja Dragunov and Sheamus in a Triple Threat on Monday's Raw to determine the final entrant in the men's Money in the Bank match.

There could be more build in the Punk-McIntyre storyline either on Monday night or at Money in the Bank on Saturday, but it could depend on the health status for The Best in the World.

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Asuka Reportedly Not Expected Back Until 2025

Another key injury in WWE right now involves Asuka's recovery from knee surgery.

In a recent fan Q&A on Fightful Select (h/t H Jenkins of Ringside News), Sapp noted she isn't expected to return by the end of this year.

Asuka was originally supposed to be in the Queen of the Ring tournament, but she was replaced by fellow Damage CTRL member Dakota Kai against Lyra Valkyria on the May 6 episode of Raw.

The decision to pull The Empress of Tomorrow from the tournament came two days after she and Kairi Sane lost the women's tag team titles to Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill at Backlash.

Asuka posted a picture to X on June 5 in which she was in a hospital bed with her left knee heavily wrapped and in a brace, indicating she had surgery.

My knee
My 膝 pic.twitter.com/KcNXbO0ChQ

— ASUKA / 明日華 (@WWEAsuka) June 5, 2024

The injury occurred during the March 15 episode of SmackDown. It's unclear how it happened, as she was at ringside with the other members of Damage CTRL to watch Dakota Kai take on Bayley.

Asuka was seen limping around the ring late in the match and when she got in the ring after the bout was over.

The loss of The Empress came at a time when the star power in the women's division had already taken some hits with Charlotte Flair still out with a knee issue, Rhea Ripley nursing a shoulder problem and Becky Lynch taking a hiatus after losing to Liv Morgan on the May 27 episode of Raw.

WWE has done a good job of building up new main roster names in the division, including Tiffany Stratton and Lyra Valkyria, without arguably the four biggest women's stars in the promotion available.

Hopefully, Asuka will be able to return in time to compete in the 2025 Royal Rumble that is scheduled to take place at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

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WWE Reportedly Interested in Hikuleo

As WWE continues to build toward Roman Reigns' return and a seemingly inevitable feud with the new Bloodline, there could also be a new member added to the expanding stable.

On the Fightful Select Q&A podcast (h/t Mukherjee), Sapp noted that WWE has been interested in signing Hikuleo for a "long, long time."

"Yeah, dating back to about a year and a half ago," he said. "Quite some time. They got interest in him. I don't know if he's signed or anything like that as of yet, but they had interest in him for a long, long time."

Hikuleo's contract with New Japan Pro-Wrestling is believed to have expired last month. He hasn't worked a match since he and El Phantasmo lost a four-way elimination tag match for the IWGP and Strong openweight tag titles at Dominion on June 9.

There has been speculation that Hikuleo is going to end up in WWE. His real-life brother, Tama Tonga, debuted in WWE as a member of The Bloodline when he attacked Jimmy Uso on the April 12 episode of SmackDown.

Reigns could be in the mix for a match at SummerSlam on August 3, which would be his first bout since losing to Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 40.

The Tribal Chief seems poised to return as a babyface against his former Bloodline members after Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, and Jacob Fatu powerbombed Paul Heyman through the announce table to close last week's episode of SmackDown.

Hikuleo would presumably debut with the new Bloodline alongside those three and Solo Sikoa.

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Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below.

Typically, heading into the annual WWE Money in the Bank PLE, the Superstars who shouldn't stand a chance at winning the men's ladder match are super obvious. They're usually smaller names clearly inserted into the match for spots and to eat pins while having no serious storytelling upside or believability as a top title contender.

But not this time—the biggest names in the men's match must fall.

Meaning, Jey Uso and Drew McIntyre.

Start with Jey. He's enjoyed massive success as a solo act with witty catchphrases and what are surely staggering merchandise sales figures. But this is one of those things that can work against Superstars—he's so popular that he doesn't need a briefcase.

It's a little more problematic than that, too. LA Knight is popular, but giving him a briefcase would at least be an entertaining twist that fans would embrace because who knows what might happen?

With Uso, the facade is starting to crack. He's flirting with upper-card purgatory more and more with time as he fails to actually win championships. While he's super-over with fans, he's not really in the faction-based Damian Priest title scene, nor is he going over as a believable threat to Cody Rhodes.

Some of it is Jey's reputation as a tag act more than anything else, with the limited promos, WrestleMania debacle and in-ring work not helping. Perhaps some of it, too, is that fans could buy the idea he's stuck in a holding pattern until the Bloodline narrative sucks him back in and doesn't let up.

McIntyre, on the other hand, isn't technically part of the ladder match just yet. But he's made his intentions very clear about winning a spot (and should given his opponents) and it doesn't feel like WWE would pull yet-another-CM-Punk-screwjob thing to ruin his chances at a spot.

Frankly, McIntyre doesn't need a briefcase to challenge for titles either and he's a more believable challenger than roughly 99 percent of the roster. We are still talking about the guy who took down Brock Lesnar and carried the promotion on his back through the pandemic era all those years ago and continues to dominate pretty much anyone he encounters.

That said, we should raise the point that McIntyre would look pretty silly with a briefcase, too. The visual of him lugging around a neonish-green box is funny more than anything else. And what would he do at entrances, have a sword in one hand and briefcase in the other?

So who should win the briefcase?

In an ideal world, the thing gets used as a tool to elevate talent who need the help, letting it serve as a slingshot of sorts for a Superstar and a mixer-upper to main-event scenes.

Last year with Priest was a good start. Though it is important to point out that his dopey booking after the fact and his refusal to use an entire faction to exploit an injured champion like Seth Rollins was horrific.

Even so, it isn't hard to make the case that a riser like Chad Gable or Carmelo Hayes should win the briefcase. For Gable, the heel-ish stuff would get amplified and there's the whole wrinkle that Otis has won the briefcase in the past, too, hanging over things.

And for Hayes, it would keep the former NXT standout in a prominent role after his two major losses since debuting around the draft in April have come at the hands of Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton.

Point is, both guys could use the spotlight (after winning a match involving Uso and McIntyre, no less), which would give them a chance to further prove they have what it takes under pressure to be a top champion and oversee main-event scenes.

The follow-up would require strong booking and storytelling, sure. Plus, an understanding that Rhodes is essentially untouchable, which narrows things down a bit. Even so, the briefcase gives fans a reason to pay extremely close attention to a Superstar in a way most things can't, so using it to boost newer names only makes sense.

Over the years, the briefcase itself has had major dips in prominence and usefulness. But in this new, refreshing era of careful storytelling, its presence as a tool to boost the likes of Hayes and Gable is something fans can feel good about.

So while Jey and McIntyre enter as favorites and perhaps preferred winners for most fans, a swerve away from them seems like the sensible move more befitting of this new era.

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.

CM Punk's Status for SummerSlam Unknown

In the wake of Drew McIntyre's attack last week on Friday Night SmackDown, CM Punk's status for SummerSlam remains up in the air.

On Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of Ringside News), Dave Meltzer noted it's "touch and go" if Punk will be able to wrestle at SummerSlam.

"It's touch-and-go about SummerSlam," Meltzer said. "They're hoping for SummerSlam. It (the attack on SmackDown) buys them more time. The hope is Punk's ready for SummerSlam—it was not a sure thing. That's the big show, that's where they want it."

It was notable that Punk's reason for appearing on SmackDown, aside from the show being in Chicago, was for him to provide an update on his status after visiting his doctor earlier in the week.

While Punk was on the episode, he never addressed his medical status prior to being attacked by McIntyre. This does give WWE more time in the event the Best in the World doesn't get cleared in time for the Aug. 3 event from Cleveland.

McIntyre will be in a triple-threat qualifying match for Money in the Bank against Sheamus and Ilja Dragunov on next week's Raw. It wouldn't be a surprise if McIntyre won that match and Punk cost him again at Money in the Bank to set up the SummerSlam bout.

Of course, this is dependent on Punk's health status. We will almost certainly know the answer by the end of the Money in the Bank show on July 6.

WWE Keeping Options Open for Rhea Ripley

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTVrusacarA

As Liv Morgan continues to dig herself deeper into the Judgment Day, the anticipation continues to build for Rhea Ripley's return.

Even though there is no definite date set at this point, Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select (h/t H Jenkins of Ringside News) reported WWE has "constructed" scenarios for Ripley to slide in and start a program with Morgan as soon as she is ready.

"There had been reports that Rhea Ripley wasn't scheduled for WWE SummerSlam," Sapp wrote. "However, WWE sources had indicated that they have things constructed that Ripley can slide in and return to the program whenever she's ready, even in a non-wrestling capacity."

It wasn't clear how long Ripley was going to be out when she originally relinquished the women's world title on the April 15 episode of Raw. Her timetable would be determined based on whether or not she needed surgery on her shoulder.

As recently as June 7, Meltzer reported (h/t Aaron Varble of SEScoops.com) that Ripley is still rehabbing the injury and surgery remains an option.

It could speak to WWE's confidence in Ripley returning that there are currently no challengers set up for Morgan right now. She hasn't wrestled on television since beating Becky Lynch in a cage match on May 27.

The Judgment Day angle with Morgan working her way into the group is one of the top storylines in WWE right now. Ripley was in the midst of arguably the best run for a women's wrestler in company history prior to her injury.

When Ripley returns to television, it will be one of the biggest moments in WWE this year.

Rumors on 2-Night Royal Rumble

WWE's deal to bring a Royal Rumble, WrestleMania and SummerSlam to Indianapolis included one notable announcement that could lead to another in the future.

It was confirmed that SummerSlam will be a two-night event whenever it is held at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. WWE previously announced the 2026 SummerSlam event in Minneapolis would be two nights.

This plan seems to indicate that will be the schedule for the event going forward, but now the focus has turned to the possibility of a two-night Royal Rumble.

Per Sapp (h/t Jenkins), there are currently no plans to turn the Rumble into a two-night show, but it could easily be adapted into that format.

Even though the current Royal Rumble format with the two 30-person matches taking place on the same show has worked fine since the women's rumble was added in 2018, it can be taxing to have two hour-long bouts on a single night.

With the exception of WrestleMania, which is a show that will always more matches than normal to get as many superstars on the card as possible, the Royal Rumble makes the most sense to be a two-night event.

The main event for each night is already locked in place. You hold the men's rumble on one night and the women's on the other night, then you only need three to four more matches on each night to fill out the card.

Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode below.

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from WWE and All Elite Wrestling.

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Details Emerge about Drew McIntyre's Revenge on CM Punk

During this past week's episode of Friday Night SmackDown, Drew McIntyre finally got his revenge on CM Punk with a brutal beatdown that caused him to be rushed to the hospital in an ambulance.

It sounds like WWE put a lot of thought into how it wanted things to play out between McIntyre and Punk in order to ensure that the segment would make the biggest impact possible.

According to a report from Fightful Select (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of Ringside News), the segment between McIntyre and Punk "was rehearsed and planned meticulously by WWE as they went the extra mile to ensure everything went perfectly."

A backstage interaction between DIY and Grayson Waller was interrupted by what sounded like someone banging on the garage door. When the door opened, Punk was lying on the ground while McIntyre stood over him. McIntyre then carried Punk inside the arena and dumped him on the entrance ramp before SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis and security intervened.

The beef between McIntyre and Punk has been going on for months. Punk suffered a torn triceps after taking a bump from McIntyre during the Royal Rumble in January, derailing plans for him to face Seth Rollins for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 40 in April. McIntyre stepped in and defeated Rollins for the title in April, but his reign lasted five minutes as an attack by Punk opened the door for Damian Priest to cash in his Money in the Bank contract.

When McIntyre challenged Priest for the World Heavyweight Championship at Clash at the Castle, Punk interfered once again and cost the Scottish star the title. McIntyre then announced on Monday Night Raw that he was quitting WWE, but it was part of the storyline and all signs point toward him facing Punk at SummerSlam in August.

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Jacob Fatu Hyped by Karrion Kross Following SmackDown Debut

The closing segment to this past week's episode of Friday Night SmackDown left WWE fans in awe, as Jacob Fatu debuted in a big way and aligned himself with The Bloodline.

Fatu's debut had been anticipated for quite some time after news broke that he signed with WWE. He assisted Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa as he brutally beat down top stars Randy Orton and Kevin Owens before turning his attention to Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and putting him through a table.

Following his highly acclaimed introduction to the WWE Universe, Fatu received some praise from a Superstar who is familiar with his abilities. Karrion Kross, who has a history with Fatu dating back to their time together on the independent circuit, took to social media to issue a warning that the rest of the SmackDown roster "is in deep s--t":

I’ve been fighting Jacob Fatu for over 10 years all over the continent from east to west…

Trust me when I say this:#Smackdown is in DEEP shit.

Good luck.

⏳

— Kevin Robert Kesar (@realKILLERkross) June 22, 2024

Fatu is a member of the famed Anoa'i Family, as he is the nephew of Rikishi and Umaga and the cousin of Sikoa, Roman Reigns and The Usos. He made a name for himself in Major League Wrestling, showing an incredible combination of strength and eye-popping high-flying skills that aren't typically seen from a wrestler his size.

The evolution of The Bloodline continues to be one of WWE's top storylines, and the addition of Fatu makes things even more intriguing. With Reigns on hiatus after losing the WWE Universal Championship, the door is open for Fatu to step into superstardom and establish himself as a force on SmackDown.

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MJF Says He's Fully Healthy After Returning from Injuries

After being out of action for nearly six months, MJF made his triumphant return to the ring during this past week's episode of AEW Dynamite by defeating Rush in a hard-hitting match that opened the show.

The match delighted fans who have been missing the former AEW World Champion since he lost his title to Samoa Joe at the Worlds End pay-per-view in December. After the loss, it was announced that MJF would be taking some time off to address multiple injuries. He made his long-awaited return at the Double or Nothing pay-per-view last month.

Following his comeback, MJF spoke to Fox 5 New York and confirmed that he's fully healthy and can compete without any limitations.

"I'm ready to go 110 million percent," he said (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of Ringside News). "I feel great. I look great. Let's be honest. Can we get a shot of these guys? I mean, come on. I'm ready. I'm ready. I'm absolutely ready."

MJF was part of an acclaimed storyline with Adam Cole that ended with Cole betraying him. While it can be expected that MJF is seeking revenge, Cole is still recovering from a broken ankle, so fans will have to wait a bit before their rivalry reaches its climax.

MJF is scheduled to face former CMLL World Heavyweight Champion Hechicero at the Forbidden Door pay-per-view on June 30, so fans will certainly be excited to watch The Salt of the Earth continue his comeback tour until he's able to face Cole and compete for the AEW World Title once again.

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The feud between Drew McIntyre and CM Punk took a dark turn at SmackDown on Friday as the Scottish Warrior attacked Punk in his hometown of Chicago.

DREW JUST TOOK OUT CM PUNK!#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/MP9Jnqi8ds

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) June 22, 2024

SPEAKLESS 🤯#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/BEzZmgmjoC

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) June 22, 2024

A bloodied Punk was eventually taken away on a backboard.

This was a brutal segment, as McIntyre was initially seen cradling an unconscious Punk into Allstate Arena. He then dropped Punk on the stage and even took one of his bracelets.

Punk hasn't wrestled since suffering a torn triceps at Royal Rumble in January, but he's made his presence felt, most notably when he interfered with McIntyre's quest for the World Heavyweight Championship in Scotland, his home country.

With the initial referee knocked out, Punk ran down to the ring for a three-count but stopped at two. He then got a low blow on McIntyre, allowing Priest to get momentum back and win.

This was all after WrestleMania, when a confrontation between McIntyre and Punk allowed Priest to cash in his Money in the Bank contract to steal the belt from McIntyre, who had just beat Seth Rollins.

So needless to say, these two hate each other.

As for Friday, it was a rough way for Punk's SmackDown return to end, but obviously, this feud is far from over. The momentum is clearly on McIntyre's side now, though, after a vicious attack in front of Punk's hometown fans.

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Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below.

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.

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Punk vs. McIntyre Reportedly Planned for SummerSlam

After CM Punk cost Drew McIntyre the chance to become world heavyweight champion at Clash at the Castle, plans are reportedly in place for a huge match between McIntyre and Punk in the near future.

According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t WrestleTalk), Punk vs. McIntyre is penciled in for SummerSlam in August provided Punk is cleared to wrestle by then.

Punk suffered a torn triceps in the men's Royal Rumble match back in January, which rendered him unable to compete at WrestleMania 40. He still made a sizable impact, though, by attacking McIntyre after The Scottish Warrior beat Seth Rollins for the World Heavyweight Championship.

That allowed Damian Priest to successfully cash in his Money in the Bank contract on McIntyre to become the new world heavyweight champ.

McIntyre finally had his shot at redemption at Clash at the Castle in his home country of Scotland, but just when it looked like he was about to win the title, Punk down to the ring dressed like a referee and hit Drew with a low blow.

That allowed Priest to retain the title, and McIntyre subsequently quit WWE on the next episode of Raw.

Of course, McIntyre quitting was merely an angle, and it is clearly leading to a big showdown with Punk.

After costing McIntyre at Clash at the Castle, Punk said during the post-show press conference that he was heading home to Chicago with an eye toward getting medically cleared this week.

Punk is scheduled to appear on Friday night's episode of SmackDown in Chicago, and if he announces that he has officially been cleared, it will be a sign that Punk vs. McIntyre is essentially a lock for SummerSlam.

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Rhodes vs. Sikoa, Paul vs. Knight Reportedly in the Works for SummerSlam

In addition to McIntyre vs. Punk, two other huge matches are reportedly expected to be part of the SummerSlam card as well.

According to Meltzer (h/t Wrestle Ops), an undisputed WWE Championship match between Cody Rhodes and Solo Sikoa has been "earmarked" for SummerSlam.

Meltzer (h/t Wrestle Features) also reported that a United States Championship bout pitting Logan Paul against LA Knight is expected for SummerSlam.

After Rhodes beat AJ Styles in an "I Quit" match at Clash at the Castle, Sikoa, Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa launched an attack on The American Nightmare, but Randy Orton and Kevin Owens made the save.

Sikoa setting his sights on Rhodes comes as little surprise since Cody beating Roman Reigns for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania threw The Bloodline into disarray.

Whether it is Reigns or The Rock, someone seems to be pulling the string for The Bloodline from a distance, and both of them would have plenty of incentive for Sikoa to make Rhodes pay.

As for the U.S. title scene, Paul and Knight have been at odds for weeks with Paul taunting Knight over the fact that he has yet to win a championship despite his popularity.

Knight recently elevated the rivalry by breaking into Paul's home and helping himself to his pool, and it seems like only a matter of time before they settle their differences in the ring.

Fans have been waiting for Knight to get his big moment by winning a championship, and SummerSlam would seemingly be the ideal venue to make it happen.

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Hendry Talks How NXT Appearance Came About

After making a surprise appearance this week on NXT, TNA star Joe Hendry revealed that firm plans weren't in place for him to be on the show until shortly before it happened.

Speaking to Conor Renshaw of Inside The Ropes, Hendry said he wasn't told the NXT appearance was definitively happening until Monday: "I had two flights booked, one if it was happening and one if it wasn't happening, but I didn't know for sure until the day before. I literally went straight from doing Chris Van Vliet's podcast to the airport and straight to Orlando."

Hendry has gone viral and become a pro wrestling sensation in recent months thanks to his catchy theme song and obvious charisma, which made him a prime candidate to be part of the new TNA-WWE working relationship.

When Hendry's music hit prior to a battle royal on Tuesday's episode of NXT, then live audience reacted in a big way, and they showed their support during the passionate promo he cut as well.

Hendry was a marked man in the battle royal due to the brash attitude he displayed, so most of the combatants went after him, and he was eliminated quickly.

However, since the WWE fanbase was so behind him in his first appearance for the company, it seems likely that more Hendry involvement could be in the cards moving forward.

Another TNA star in Frankie Kazarian was also part of the battle royal this week, and that came on the heels of TNA Knockouts world champion Jordynne Grace challenging Roxanne Perez for the NXT Women's Championship at Battleground.

The partnership could prove to be hugely beneficial to both TNA and WWE, and getting the chance to be showcased to a widely audience is undoubtedly something Hendry and other TNA stars are looking to take advantage of as well.

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After CM Punk caused Drew McIntyre to lose his match against Damian Priest for the World Heavyweight Championship at Clash of the Castle in his home country of Scotland, McIntyre apparently has had enough.

During this week's episode of WWE Raw, McIntyre declared that he quit the company. He also deactivated his account on X:

DREW MCINTYRE JUST WALKED OUT OF WWE RAW! 😲😲😲 pic.twitter.com/e7UNzsPWb1

— WWE (@WWE) June 18, 2024

Drew McIntyre has deactivated his Twitter account. pic.twitter.com/yiwOmf2Mnh

— Wrestle Ops (@WrestleOps) June 18, 2024

McIntyre lost to Priest in demoralizing fashion when Punk appeared in the closing moments in a referee shirt and delivered a low blow that halted the Scot's momentum and allowed the titleholder to capitalize.

McIntyre has been in the middle of a tough stretch that has clearly affected his state of mind.

His triumphant moment of defeating Seth Rollins for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 40 in April was ruined when Priest cashed in his Money in the Bank contract and ended his reign after just five minutes.

A run-in with Punk preceded The Scottish Warrior's unceremonious defeat, and the two of them have been circling each other ever since.

Punk was originally expected to face Rollins at WrestleMania 40, but a torn triceps suffered at the hands of McIntyre in the men's Royal Rumble match in January derailed those plans.

The Scot has been one of the top stars in WWE since he returned to the company in 2017, so it's likely his walkout on Monday is just part of a deeper storyline.

If Punk can recover in time to compete at SummerSlam on August 3, fans should expect to see him and McIntyre in a ring so they can settle their differences.

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Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode below.

WWE Clash at the Castle has come and gone, leaving fans to wonder what's next for some of the most prominent Superstars in professional wrestling.

Perhaps none more so than undisputed WWE champion Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre.

In the wake of the latest international premium live event, let's look at what to expect for The American Nightmare and the man who watched his aspirations of striking championship gold in his Scottish homeland go up in smoke at the weekend.

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What's Next for Cody Rhodes?

The undisputed WWE champion defeated AJ Styles in a brutal "I Quit" match in Glasgow, bringing an end to the first rivalry of his title reign.

And it didn't take long to find out what direction the second-generation star would take in the aftermath of the show.

Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa attacked Rhodes after his grueling victory, drawing Randy Orton and Kevin Owens out to make the save. The brawl that ensued suggests fans should expect a six-man tag team match at Money in the Bank on July 6.

It makes sense, especially after Paul Heyman specifically mentioned having the WWE champ locked down a few weeks ago on SmackDown. Such a match would likely bring about the conclusion of the long-running rivalry between The Bloodline and Owens and Orton, while simultaneously introducing Rhodes' SummerSlam program.

Moments after fending off the heels, The Viper was caught staring at the WWE title, hinting at his desire to hold the top prize in the industry once again.

Randy Orton eyes the WWE Championship.

Do you want to see Randy Orton vs Cody Rhodes? #WWECastle pic.twitter.com/bqFsipyWa1

— Fightful Wrestling (@Fightful) June 15, 2024

There is a wealth of history between Rhodes and Orton that should make for an intensely personal rivalry.

The Viper took a young Rhodes under his wing, taught him about the industry and headlined pay-per-views with him during their days as part of Legacy.

Given the ready-made story, Rhodes vs. Orton is a match that could easily and believably headline SummerSlam on August 3.

It's hardly the only option in that spot, though.

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How About Drew McIntyre?

Everything was in place for McIntyre to defeat Damian Priest and win the World Heavyweight Championship in front of his home fans.

Instead, The Scottish Warrior again experienced the bitter taste of defeat and disappointment, this time thanks to CM Punk, who impersonated a referee and screwed the hometown hero out of a victory.

It's CM PUNK!!!#WWECastle pic.twitter.com/T8SsLiAaqi

— WWE (@WWE) June 15, 2024

That outcome leaves no doubt as to what awaits McIntyre coming out of Clash at the Castle.

The Scot will battle The Best in the World, likely at SummerSlam on August 3.

The long-awaited grudge match dates back to the Royal Rumble in January, when Punk tore his triceps after receiving the Future Shock DDT from McIntyre.

Since then, the Chicago-born competitor has promised revenge and has struck twice: First at Wrestlemania 40, when he cost McIntyre the World Heavyweight Championship by beating him down and setting him up for Priest to cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase, and the second being Saturday night in Glasgow.

The rivalry has only intensified over the last six months and will continue to do so until that first bell rings and the pair exchange blows.

McIntyre may unleash hell, tearing through anyone in his path en route to his match with Punk, but make no mistake about it: The showdown between the pair of two-time WWE champions is the endgame here.

CM Punk has once again screwed Drew McIntyre out of the World Heavyweight Championship.

WWE posted a video of Punk backstage grabbing a referee's shirt as part of his effort to screw over his longtime rival.

how it happened 👀#WWECastle pic.twitter.com/Vn14PQxh06

— WWE (@WWE) June 15, 2024

Punk went out during McIntyre's match against Damien Priest to play more mind games with his longtime rival, counting to two when McIntyre had Priest down for the count before giving him the peace sign.

Priest would wind up using the distraction to recover and retain his championship when the referee got back in the ring.

Punk and McIntyre have been feuding for months despite the former being out of action due to injury. McIntyre's obsession with Punk cost him the world heavyweight championship at WrestleMania, as Priest cashed in his Money in the Bank contract after a Punk-McIntyre altercation.

This all seems to be building toward Punk and McIntyre going head-to-head at SummerSlam.

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Damian Priest defeated Drew McIntyre at WWE Clash at the Castle on Saturday to retain the World Heavyweight Championship despite The Judgment Day being banned from ringside.

During the latter stages of the match, McIntyre hit Priest with a Claymore Kick while the referee was incapacitated. Another referee seemingly ran down to make the count, but it was actually CM Punk.

Punk, who has been in the midst of a heated feud with McIntyre, hit Drew with a low blow, allowing Priest to execute the South of Heaven chokeslam for the win in McIntyre's home country of Scotland.

It's CM PUNK!!!#WWECastle pic.twitter.com/T8SsLiAaqi

— WWE (@WWE) June 15, 2024

The foundation for Saturday's bout was laid at WrestleMania 40 when McIntyre faced Seth Rollins for the world heavyweight title in the opening match of Night 1.

McIntyre was victorious, making him a three-time world champion in WWE, but his time as the titleholder was short-lived due to his rivalry with Punk.

Since Punk was unable to compete at WrestleMania after suffering a torn triceps in the Royal Rumble match, he was on commentary for McIntyre vs. Rollins. Following his win, McIntyre taunted Punk, leading Punk to attack The Scottish Warrior despite his injury.

That prompted Priest to run down the ramp with his Money in the Bank contract in tow, and he successfully cashed it in on McIntyre to win his first world championship in WWE.

Coming out of WrestleMania, McIntyre was largely preoccupied by his hatred of Punk, as their rivalry continued to reach new heights despite the fact that Punk wasn't medically cleared to wrestle.

Meanwhile, Priest entered into a brief program with Jey Uso, who won a multi-man match to become No. 1 contender for the world title due in part to Punk screwing McIntyre over again. In his first major title defense, Priest beat Uso at Backlash.

At around that same time, McIntyre called for Priest to give him a title shot, and after the Judgment Day member agreed, their match was made official for Clash at the Castle.

It was the ideal setting for McIntyre since Clash at the Castle took place in his home country of Scotland.

Also, two years ago, McIntyre challenged Roman Reigns for the WWE Championship at the first Clash at the Castle in Wales. Many expected McIntyre to prevail, but interference from Solo Sikoa allowed Reigns to win.

While Clash at the Castle represented the perfect opportunity for McIntyre to make up for the many misfortunes he experienced in recent years, he was once again on the wrong end of a title match, as Priest retained.

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