WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray recently voiced his confusion over Drew McIntyre’s response to insults made by CM Punk and Roman Reigns on WWE Raw during an episode of Busted Open Radio. McIntyre’s comments on last week’s WWE SmackDown, where he labeled Punk and Reigns’ remarks as a “declaration of war” against the WWE Undisputed Title and SmackDown roster, sparked debate among fans and insiders alike.
Bully Ray criticized McIntyre’s promo for lacking clarity, suggesting that instead of coming off strong, McIntyre appeared more like a babyface rallying the SmackDown roster. He questioned the logic behind McIntyre defending the championship and SmackDown while seemingly undercutting his own position.
Bully Ray Addresses Contradictions in Drew McIntyre’s Promo
This didn’t make sense. I don’t know why you’re burying the other guy who’s your champion and the other brand. Now maybe, hopefully, they’ll come full circle and give us a reason. But in all my time, all I can say right now is to quote the great Jeff Spicoli, I don’t know. I’m sorry to repeat myself a little bit. I don’t know why you go out of your way to bury Drew, the championship, and SmackDown. I don’t know why you put a promo in the guy’s mouth that I liked, meanwhile, he just eliminated the biggest babyface in the company out of the Royal Rumble when he wasn’t even in the match. It’s like a toxic girlfriend.
Bully Ray, WWE Hall of Famer
He highlighted the conflicting nature of McIntyre’s message, noting that while McIntyre defended SmackDown’s honor, he also seemed to undercut his own role by eliminating a top babyface prematurely, which blurs his intended positioning among WWE storylines.
Expectations for a Clearer Narrative Around Brand Rivalry
The only way it would have made sense to me in this point in time is if we were going into Survivor Series. A declaration of war. ‘Don’t you dare speak about my brand and my roster the way you have. We’ll show you. We’re declaring war on you.’ Okay, we’re going to get a Raw versus SmackDown, traditional Survivor Series match. I get it.
Bully Ray, WWE Hall of Famer
Bully Ray expressed that an outright “declaration of war” promo would be better suited ahead of recognized interbrand events such as Survivor Series. Without that context, the promo feels misplaced and confusing in the current WWE storyline landscape.
Questions Raised About Unity in Upcoming Elimination Chamber Matches
Are we going to have three guys from SmackDown versus three guys from Raw in the Elimination Chamber? And are the SmackDown guys going to fight as one against the Raw guys, even though it’s every man for himself in the Chamber? It’s trying to connect the dot here.
Bully Ray, WWE Hall of Famer
Bully Ray also questioned how the concept of brand rivalry fits into the format of the Elimination Chamber, where individual competition typically outweighs team allegiance. He raised concerns about the logic of SmackDown and Raw superstars banding together despite the event being designed for individual combat, making the narrative even more uncertain.
Overall, Bully Ray’s critique sheds light on potential storytelling issues within WWE’s current programming, particularly involving Drew McIntyre’s positioning against major Raw stars like CM Punk and Roman Reigns. The confusion around McIntyre’s promos may affect fan engagement and the clarity of WWE’s brand rivalries. Moving forward, fans and analysts will be watching to see if WWE clarifies these storylines, especially as key events like Survivor Series and the Elimination Chamber approach, which could provide better opportunities for interbrand conflict to be showcased effectively.
