Jericho welcomes Drew McIntyre to the show.
McIntyre informs that a couple of days after he was released by WWE three years ago he was a guest on Talk is Jericho. His last line on that show was ‘I’ll be back’, and he knew for sure that he would once he went out on his own and built his brand back up on the indie scene.
He admits that he was a little bit shaken up when he was released by WWE because for the first time in his life, his life wasn’t going exactly according to plan. He started in WWE so young at age 21, and he felt like he’d be working in WWE for as long as he chose to be. He always tried to live in the moment and tried not to take things for granted, but it’s difficult not to settle in when you’re crowned ‘The Chosen One’.
He looks back at the release as a learning experience now. He developed a clear plan and executed it, and he’s very proud of that. He’s also very proud of the fact that he cleared a path for a lot of performers who have since made a name for themselves on the indies, before returning to a larger company such as WWE.
McIntyre says his story is a good one, but Jinder Mahal’s story may even be better. They were both released on the same day three years ago, and while McIntyre went to work on the indies, Mahal settled into his business ventures and seemingly lost interest in the wrestling business. McIntye recalls meeting with him at one point during their time away from WWE, and Mahal’s physique had noticeably changed for the worst.