Drew McIntyre has predicted a weekend to remember for Scottish sport fans — as Steve Clarke’s national side open football’s European Championships against hosts Germany on Friday, 24 hours before the WWE legend headlines Clash at the Castle in Glasgow.
The 39-year-old, who is originally from Ayr, takes on current world heavyweight champion Damian Priest for the title he so dramatically lost at this year’s WrestleMania, in the showpiece bout at the Hydro on Saturday night.
The WWE is in town for two shows, with Smackdown taking place on Friday night at the same venue, and McInytre admits he’ll be trying to keep one eye on Scotland’s clash in Germany.
‘I’ll be paying attention to the game, even if it’s on my phone,’ he said. ‘I’ll be at Smackdown on Friday night as Sheamus and I have a non-televised match — a dark main event.
‘Scotland are playing the same night against Germany — I have a good feeling about it.
‘Obviously, we are the most optimistic nation in the world. But I really feel good about it this time because we have so many good individual players that I really believe this is the time we can get through the group stage.
Drew McIntyre will face off against Damian Priest for his world title on Saturday night
There will be two WWE shows at the Hydro in Glasgow – Smackdown and Clash at the Castle
The Scotland football team have arrived in Germany for the European Championships and it could be some weekend if both they and Drew McIntyre win their respective matches
‘I remember the opening game (of the 1998 World Cup) when we almost drew with Brazil. But I believe we can get a result against Germany and then McIntyre can get a great result and win the world title. Then it’s up to Scotland to do the rest!
‘No Scotland, no party. And that new advert for Irn-Bru (about the Euros) is amazing!’
Clash at the Castle is the first Premium Live Event (PLE) to be held in Scotland. In future, McIntyre would like to return to his home country and pack out one of the big stadia, such as Murrayfield, which just hosted three Taylor Swift concerts to great aplomb.
‘We need the Scottish fans to pack the place out and be louder than they’ve ever been,’ he said. ‘It’s doesn’t matter if you are blue, or green, or even Partick Thistle! It doesn’t matter who you are — on that weekend, we are all Scottish!
‘We’re going to show the world who we are at the Euros. We’re going to show the world who we are in Glasgow.
‘We have to show the world that Scotland are the most passionate and loud fans in the world.’
Friday Night SmackDown airs live from the Hydro Glasgow, Friday, June 14. Tune in on TNT Sports
Clash at the Castle: Scotland airs live from the Hydro Glasgow, Saturday, June 15. Tune in on the WWE Network and TNT Sports Box Office.
