Drew McIntyre says some of his fellow wrestlers have taken his trash talk a little too personally. During an appearance on the Soder Podcast with comedian Dan Soder, McIntyre explained that he has had to remind people that his social media jabs are aimed at their characters, not at them as people.

McIntyre said his sharper edge on screen came from the way he already acts behind the scenes.

“I found out in real life, I just talk so much crap and people are always laughing… I’m just unintentionally funny apparently. And then some time I was like, ‘I kind of rip on people a lot. I’m British. I’m Scottish. We talk crap all the time. Maybe I should start doing that on-screen,'” McIntyre said.

He said the approach worked so well that some wrestlers lost track of where the character ended.

“And I really started letting people have it to the point they were forgetting they’re playing a character. They’re like, ‘You said that about me?’ ‘No, I didn’t. I said about your character on Twitter. Don’t be such a loser. It’s not you. It’s the character I’m talking to,'” McIntyre said.

McIntyre also described the change as the moment he settled into who he is as a performer.

“Found my voice. Finally found my character which is basically me,” he said.

That version of McIntyre has been a big part of his last few years in WWE. His online trolling of CM Punk helped build one of the most heated rivalries of his career, which led to their matches at SummerSlam, Bash in Berlin and Bad Blood in 2024. He has used social media to take shots at many of his on-screen rivals since then.

McIntyre has not wrestled since WrestleMania 42 in April, when he lost to Jacob Fatu in an Unsanctioned Match. He has spent most of his time away working on film projects, and he reportedly told Fightful that he has filmed three movies since leaving the road with WWE, including the Highlander reboot and The Last Druid.

According to WrestleVotes on Fightful Select, WWE has discussed ideas that would bring McIntyre back on Raw. WrestleVotes also reported that a plan for his return was on the books in late August before the direction changed.

Drew McIntyre’s Social Media Game Is Part of His Success

McIntyre’s comments explain why his recent work has connected with fans. His earlier runs as a top babyface were solid, but he became a more interesting character once he started saying what he wanted, both on television and online. The trolling made his feuds feel personal, and that is the point of a good rivalry.

It also makes sense that some wrestlers have struggled to separate the two. When McIntyre posts about someone on X, there is no camera or commentary team to signal that it is part of a story. That blurred line is what makes his social media work so effective, even if it means a few awkward conversations backstage.

Fans should expect more of the same when McIntyre returns. Whether he lands on Raw or SmackDown, his next feud will likely start online long before the two sides meet in the ring.