Following WWE Royal Rumble 2025, reports emerged about Drew McIntyre and LA Knight having backstage heat. The drama unfolded during Drew McIntyre’s elimination spot in the men’s Royal Rumble match.
Drew McIntyre left last weekend’s Royal Rumble match visibly frustrated after a mistimed elimination. He entered at No. 17 and lasted an impressive 26:55 minutes but failed to secure any eliminations. Damian Priest eventually eliminated him, but the situation took a turn when LA Knight bumped into Priest as McIntyre was being eliminated.
Reports emerged that McIntyre was furious after the match, frustrated with a star who seemed more focused on “getting all their moves in.” It was confirmed that LA Knight’s actions annoyed McIntyre, as McIntyre was originally supposed to be eliminated by Priest before Logan Paul’s entrance. The interference distracted from what was supposed to be a major moment in the match, fueling McIntyre’s frustration.
On the latest episode of WWE SmackDown, McIntyre and LA Knight came face-to-face following the reports. Both superstars competed in a triple-threat Elimination Chamber qualifying match alongside Jimmy Uso.
Before the match, they appeared in a segment featuring an awkward exchange. During the interaction, Knight remarked, “I forgot to get my stuff in,” while McIntyre smirked. Although the moment seemed awkward, new reports have shed light on what actually happened between McIntyre and Knight backstage on WWE SmackDown after their rumored conflict.
What happened between Drew McIntyre & LA Knight on WWE SmackDown?
According to Fightful Select (behind a paywall), Drew McIntyre and LA Knight had no issues working together on WWE SmackDown. While their interaction got a little rough at times in the match, which saw the two begin slapping one another, both superstars finished without any problems.
McIntyre reportedly had no issues with LA Knight’s promo on the show, which likely came across well. One source admitted that the backstage drama “wasn’t ideal,” but felt both men handled it well and made the most of the situation.
McIntyre and Knight reportedly had no lingering issues with each other after their rumored backstage heat. In their match, McIntyre secured the victory, earning his spot in the Men’s Elimination Chamber match. The lineup now includes John Cena and CM Punk, with three spots still open.
