WWE Champion Drew McIntyre has expressed his strong desire to compete at the Tokyo Dome, a prestigious venue where he has yet to wrestle. Speaking to ABEMA before the upcoming Royal Rumble, McIntyre highlighted his respect for Japanese fans and assured them of his return to Japan in the near future.
McIntyre’s Message to Japanese Supporters and His Tokyo Dome Ambition
Before the Royal Rumble, McIntyre directly addressed Japanese fans with enthusiasm, stating,
“Japan, I’m coming back. Roppongi [an entertainment district in Tokyo], wait for me,”
and adding,
“I’ve never had a big match at the Tokyo Dome, so I want to compete there.”
His comments underline a personal goal to perform on one of Japan’s most iconic wrestling stages.
Background on WWE’s Presence in Japan
McIntyre last wrestled in Japan during a WWE house show tour in 2019. Although WWE held live events in Japan in 2024 and 2025, it has not hosted a main roster televised show there since the 2015 Beast in the East special at Sumo Hall. This makes McIntyre’s aspiration to wrestle at the Tokyo Dome particularly significant in the context of WWE’s limited recent activity in the country.
Upcoming WWE Title Defense at Royal Rumble
At the Royal Rumble event scheduled for tomorrow in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, McIntyre will defend his WWE Championship against Sami Zayn. This match represents McIntyre’s first televised title defense since capturing the championship from Cody Rhodes on the January 9 episode of SmackDown, a hard-fought victory in a Three Stages of Hell match.
McIntyre’s Challenge and Confidence Ahead of WrestleMania
Looking forward, McIntyre sounded confident about a potential rematch with Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 42. He declared,
“If you want to face me at WrestleMania, win the Rumble,”
and continued,
“Doesn’t matter who wins. Roman [Reigns], Brock [Lesnar], or a surprise entrant. Even Cody, I’ll crush him at WrestleMania,”
signaling readiness to face any challenger.
Broadcast Information and Event Access
The Royal Rumble 2026 event will be broadcast live on multiple platforms: ESPN in the United States, ABEMA in Japan, and Netflix in other regions. This wide availability emphasizes the global reach of WWE’s marquee event and the opportunity for fans worldwide to watch McIntyre’s championship defense and further developments.
