WWE Superstar Drew McIntyre calls Cardiff show ‘a dream come true’
Entertainment Reporter Rishi Davda spoke to Drew McIntyre ahead of Saturday's event
So, I’m 6ft 3in, but I have never felt smaller than when I stood in front of WWE Superstar Drew McIntyre to have a chat.
He’s 6ft 5in with more muscles than I thought possible - I guess that’s why he’s such a successful wrestler.
You may expect a booming voice, but what I was treated to was a softly spoken, funny individual who couldn’t stop smiling.
Why the smile? Well, he’s the headliner at Clash at the Castle in Cardiff, the first WWE major stadium event in the UK for 30 years.
Scottish-born Drew still remembers the last one, SummerSlam at Wembley Stadium back in 1992.
He said: "I was seven-years-old when it happened, and I saw “Rowdy” Roddy Piper playing his bagpipes on there, I saw the British Bulldog representing with the Union Jack. I thought to myself if they can do it, I can do it."
With the majority of major WWE pay-per-view events taking place in the US, Drew is delighted to be able to bring a big show back to the UK.
He says that "this is beyond a dream come true. For Drew McIntyre, for WWE, I can’t think of anywhere better than Cardiff, Wales".
One of the current WWE Women’s Champions is Bianca Belair, an American whose work with World Wrestling Entertainment has allowed her to travel the globe. Funnily enough, the first stamp she ever got in her passport was from a previous trip to the UK to wrestle. She’s set for a three-on-three match during Clash at the Castle and believes the WWE is loved around the world because it has something for everyone. Bianca calls the WWE "very special, it transcends across all religions, genders, religions, ethnicities… it doesn’t matter. Anyone can turn on the television screen and see someone in WWE that looks like them, that they can relate too."
There will be more than 60,000 fans inside Cardiff’s Principality Stadium for the showcase. Simon Watson, along with his son Matthew and daughter Jessica, travelled nine-and-a-half hours by bus from Sunderland to see Clash at the Castle in person. As a lifelong fan, with three WWE tattoos, Simon loves the "razzmatazz" that comes with wrestling. He says "we are just big kids, and then you bring your own kids… it’s just even more magical".
Drew McIntyre was the first British WWE Champion. In Saturday’s main event, he’s hoping to dethrone current title holder Roman Reigns. It’s fair to say that he’s feeling pretty confident. "I’m gonna beat his butt, kick his head off and take his titles. When it happens, I am getting an open-top bus, I am going up and down the UK and everyone better get ready to party for about a week," he said. There will be plenty of special guests in attendance, boxer Tyson Fury has already announced that he’ll be ringside for the matchup. Seeing as it’s a 30-year celebration, I’m sure there will be some extra surprises for fans too. Clash at the Castle starts at 6pm on Saturday 3rd September.