Drew McIntyre was set to join New Japan Pro Wrestling in 2017 before a last-minute phone call changed his mind.
## What happened?
He had been in talks with New Japan, which was experiencing a surge in popularity at the time, thanks to the rivalry between Kenny Omega and Kazuchika Okada.
New Japan felt like a logical option for McIntyre, who was on a hot streak after his run on the indies and TNA.
But William Regal's intervention led McIntyre to speak with Triple H, who was overseeing NXT at the time.
## Why it matters for Drew McIntyre
McIntyre's decision to return to WWE proved fruitful, as he went on to become NXT Champion in August 2017, defeating Bobby Roode at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn III.
He dropped the title to Andrade at NXT WarGames three months later, before moving up to the main roster in 2018.
McIntyre is now a two-time WWE Champion, with his most recent title win coming in 2020.
## What comes next?
McIntyre is set to challenge Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship at Saturday Night's Main Event in Salt Lake City.
He previously challenged Rhodes for the title at WrestlePalooza last month, but was unsuccessful.
McIntyre's return to WWE has been a successful one, with him becoming a top star in the company.
And he has William Regal to thank for it, after Regal's intervention led him to speak with Triple H.
McIntyre's experience in New Japan could have been an interesting one, given the company's talented roster at the time.
But it was not meant to be, and McIntyre is now focused on becoming a three-time WWE Champion.
He will have to get past Rhodes if he wants to achieve that goal, in what promises to be an exciting match.
The Scottish Warrior is ready for the challenge, and will be looking to use his skills to outmaneuver Rhodes.
McIntyre's journey to the top of WWE has been a long one, but he is now one of the company's top stars.
He has come a long way since his early days in the company, when he was known as "The Chosen One".
But that gimmick did not quite work out, and McIntyre has since found success as a more aggressive, hard-hitting character.
His match against Rhodes promises to be an exciting one, with both men looking to prove themselves as the best.
The crowd will be on the edge of their seats as these two superstars clash in the ring.
McIntyre's fans will be cheering him on, hoping that he can emerge victorious and become a three-time champion.
It will be a tough task, but McIntyre is up for the challenge.
He has been training hard and is ready to put on a show.
The question on everyone's mind is: can McIntyre defeat Rhodes and become the new champion?
Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure: it will be an exciting match.
McIntyre's experience and skill will be put to the test as he faces off against one of the company's top stars.
But he is confident in his abilities and is ready to take on the challenge.
The stage is set for an epic battle between two of WWE's best.
McIntyre and Rhodes are ready to put on a show, and the crowd is eager to see what happens.
It's going to be a wild ride, and only one man can emerge victorious.
The tension is building, and the match is just around the corner.
McIntyre is focused and determined, and he will stop at nothing to achieve his goal.
He will have to use all of his skills and experience to outmaneuver Rhodes and become the new champion.
But he is up for the challenge, and he is ready to put on a show.
The crowd will be cheering, and the energy will be electric.
It's going to be an exciting match, and only one man can emerge victorious.
McIntyre is ready to take on the challenge and become a three-time WWE Champion.
He will have to give it his all if he wants to achieve his goal.
The match is just around the corner, and the tension is building.
McIntyre is focused and determined, and he will stop at nothing to become the new champion.
He has come a long way since his early days in the company, and he is now one of the top stars.
He has the skills and experience to take on the best, and he is ready to put on a show.
The crowd will be on the edge of their seats as McIntyre and Rhodes clash in the ring.
It's going to be an epic battle, and only one man can emerge victorious.
McIntyre is ready to take on the challenge and become a three-time WWE Champion.
He will have to use all of his skills and experience to outmaneuver Rhodes and achieve his goal.
But he is up for the challenge, and he is ready to put on a show.
The stage is set for an exciting match, and the crowd is eager to see what happens.
McIntyre and Rhodes are ready to put on a show, and only one man can emerge victorious.
It's going to be a wild ride, and the tension is building.
McIntyre is focused and determined, and he will stop at nothing to achieve his goal.
He has the skills and experience to take on the best, and he is ready to put on a show.
The crowd will be cheering, and the energy will be electric.
It's going to be an exciting match, and only one man can emerge victorious.
McIntyre is ready to take on the challenge and become a three-time WWE Champion.
He will have to give it his all if he wants to achieve his goal.
The match is just around the corner, and the tension is building.
McIntyre is focused and determined, and he will stop at nothing to become the new champion.
He has come a long way since his early days in the company, and he is now one of the top stars.
He has the skills and experience to take on the best, and he is ready to put on a show.
The crowd will be on the edge of their seats as McIntyre and Rhodes clash in the ring.
It's going to be an epic battle, and only one man can emerge victorious.
McIntyre is ready to take on the challenge and become a three-time WWE Champion.
He will have to use all of his skills and experience to outmaneuver Rhodes and achieve his goal.
But he is up for the challenge, and he is ready to put on a show.
The stage is set for an exciting match, and the crowd is eager to see what happens.
McIntyre and Rhodes are ready to put on a show, and only one man can emerge victorious.
It's going to be a wild ride, and the tension is building.