Drew McIntyre won a Triple Threat Elimination Chamber qualifying match against LA Knight and Jimmy Uso on SmackDown. During the match, McIntyre and Knight engaged in a notably stiff exchange that caught viewers’ attention.
Sources indicate the physical interaction stemmed from earlier backstage tension. According to reports, McIntyre left the Royal Rumble arena early after a spot involving Damian Priest and Knight during the Men’s Royal Rumble match.
The initial plan involved McIntyre and Priest using their Royal Rumble confrontation to build a future program. Reports suggest Knight’s unexpected involvement altered these plans, leading to both men losing momentum in the storyline.
WWE management may address the situation internally if the SmackDown spot was not part of the planned match sequence. However, any potential discussions would remain backstage.
DO YALL THINK DREW MCINTYRE AND LA KNIGHT WERE LEGIT THROWING HANDS HERE????
— FADE (@FadeAwayMedia) February 8, 2025
👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/39408XP3s5