Drew Galloway inducted into The Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame for Scotland
PRESS RELEASE: WWE’s DREW McINTYRE BECOMES THE FIRST ACTIVE WRESTLER TO BE INDUCTED INTO THE PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING HALL OF FAME FOR SCOTLAND
On 13th June 2024, Drew McIntyre was inducted into The Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame for Scotland as its tenth member and has become the first active wrestler to receive this honour. His induction witnessed by Glasgow’s Lord Provost Jacqueline McLaren at a Civic Ceremony held at Ibrox Stadium. This occurred two days before Drew would challenge for the World Heavyweight title at WWE Clash at the Castle: Scotland, the first premier live event to be broadcast from Scotland, which has set a record gate for any professional wrestling supershow in the country.
The Lord Provost said: “Excited and proud to welcome Drew back to Scotland and congratulate him his on his induction into The Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame.”
“Known on the WWE circuit as the ‘Scottish Warrior’, he’s the first wrestler, in his prime, to receive this honour. It’s also a fantastic first for Scotland, to be hosting his WWE Heavyweight title bout at Clash at the Castle. I’ll definitely be cheering for Drew – hoping he lifts the title at this sensational Glasgow showdown”
Also in attendance were World's Strongest Man winner Tom Stoltman and WWE Superstar Piper Niven, as well as Rangers soccer legends Lee McCulloch and Mark Hateley.
About Drew Galloway:
Growing up in Annpit Road, young Andrew McLean Galloway IV first discovered televised professional wrestling as a child. Quickly becoming a fan of the sport, Drew soon wished to pursue his interest as a career and sought to find a wrestling school where he could learn the art of ringcraft, even though the domestic grappling circuit had collapsed in previous years. As there were no reputable camps at the time in Scotland, 15-year-old Galloway would travel to Portsmouth, enlisting in the Frontier Wrestling Alliance training academy. After making friends with some other likeminded hopefuls, Drew would take his somewhat limited ring knowledge back to Scotland and helped to establish a training group which rotated between Falkirk, East Kilbride, and Rutherglen.
Within a year, Drew Galloway made his debut in a match in Linwood, near Glasgow, against an opponent named Conscience. Developing an early narcissistic persona dubbed ‘Thee’ Drew Galloway, he became one of the rising stars in a fledgling promotion called British Championship Wrestling while studying a degree in Criminology at Glasgow Caledonian University. The upstart BCW promotion was pioneering a resurgence in the industry within Scotland, and this led to similar outfits being established, including Insane Championship Wrestling in Glasgow. Drew also sought further experience in front of live crowds for All Star Promotions, which promoted shows at Butlin’s holiday camps, and he went on to tour with Irish Whip Wrestling in 2006.
After impressing local audiences due to the calibre of his performances and having secured several championships across the circuit, Galloway would attend a try-out for the global touring brand World Wrestling Entertainment. A second audition the following April proved to be more successful, and he was subsequently offered a contract with the worldwide leader in sports entertainment. Upon signing, Galloway was sent to Louisville, Kentucky where he could refine his skills at Ohio Valley Wrestling in preparation for his eventual arrival in WWE.
On 12th October 2007, the renamed ‘Drew McIntyre’ would make his televised debut on WWE SmackDown! in a winning effort against Brett Major. Initially paired with veteran English grappler Dave Taylor, Drew soon travelled to Florida Championship Wrestling in 2008 where he would rekindle a feud with old rival Sheamus. In August 2009, McIntyre would return to the main WWE roster where he was dubbed ‘The Chosen One’ and touted as a future star. By virtue of winning the WWE Intercontinental Championship at the TLC event on 13th December that year, his stock continued to rise during a 161-day reign with the title.
After being released by WWE in June 2014, Galloway returned to the independent scene in his home nation. Unlike the circuit which existed at the time of his rookie year, it was rocketing in popularity and spurring a ring revolution as part of the BritWres movement. With renewed determination, Drew reinvented himself as the premier star in the country and entered high-level performances for promotions across the United Kingdom. Galloway would also secure international bookings in Mexico and the United States, before making a surprise debut for TNA Impact Wrestling at The Hydro in Glasgow on 29th January 2015. His two-year stint with the company further raised his profile within the industry and Drew returned to WWE in 2017.
After dominating the NXT brand, Drew McIntyre embarked on a major winning streak within the main WWE roster, which culminated in a victory in the 2020 Royal Rumble. This resulted in his chance to face Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania XXXVI for the WWE Championship. Covid-19 conditions prevented the match from occurring in front of a live crowd, but the title-winning effort of McIntyre would be televised to a worldwide audience. The bout entertained millions during a time of great uncertainty, as Drew created history by being the first British-born wrestler to capture the top prize in WWE. The reinvention of Drew had culminated in championship glory and further acceptance as one of the finest wrestlers of his generation, where he has remained as an enduring major main event attraction. He has achieved the greatest international success of any Scottish talent, yet his legacy includes his dedication to create a resurgence in the domestic professional wrestling circuit of his birth nation.
Quotes:
Bradley Craig, wrestling historian and founder of the Hall,
“Following the collapse of the old British wrestling circuit, it was incredibly hard for an aspiring Scottish talent to consider a career in wrestling. However, Drew was determined to realise his ambition and spent countless hours travelling across the country to learn how to wrestle. His dedication paid off, and he was quickly established as one of the top talents in the country.”
“Drew’s greatest attribute is his capacity to learn and continuously improve. Across his career, he has adapted to changes in the professional wrestling industry and reinvented himself. As a result, he is now considered one of the greatest talents in the world. But he has also shared his learnings to teach a new generation of Scottish stars. His efforts helped to revitalise a dying industry and turn it into a thriving circuit.”
“With few exceptions, the most successful Scottish wrestlers from previous generations were mainly gifted lightweights or middleweights. Drew is the first homegrown talent to possess the charisma, ring skills and superstar aura which has allowed him to achieve success and fame on a truly global level as one of the premier heavyweights in the game. He is a proud Scot but hasn’t relied on his nationality to create an engaging persona, as he is so relatable to audiences across the world.”
