5 Reasons Why Drew McIntyre 'Squashed' Kurt Angle On WWE RAW

One of the most controversial closing segments on Monday Night RAW in recent memory, took place this past Monday night.

The fans in attendance in Manchester, England, as well as the rest of the WWE Universe watching at home, were shocked to see Drew McIntyre humiliate WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle - not only verbally, but also in the wrestling department - squashing the Olympic gold-medalist in a savage, one-sided beat-down.

While McIntyre insulting Angle and talking trash about the legend's family is commonplace in professional wrestling; the fact that The Scottish Psychopath used Angle's iconic signature moves to defeat the latter, is what truly caught the attention of fans worldwide.

In case you happen to be new to the world of pro-wrestling or are an occasional viewer of the sport, you'd still probably know that using another wrestler's signature move/finisher to defeat them is considered to be a highly disrespectful act. Now, while McIntyre disrespecting Angle was a part of the promotion's ongoing storylines, it's indeed indisputable that the former NXT Champion's dominant win over Angle holds a deeper meaning than simple disrespect.

Ladies and gentlemen, this was no ordinary 'squash match' -- This beat-down is a part of a much bigger plan the WWE is currently implementing -- And today, we hereby examine the reasons behind Drew McIntyre brutally 'squashing' Kurt Angle on RAW...

#5 To solidify Drew McIntyre as the top heel on RAW

Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre have proven to be a rather dominant team on RAW this year

Remember when Braun Strowman turned heel and aligned himself with Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre? Well, with the Strowman vs. Roman Reigns Universal Title feud coming to an abrupt end, and The Shield disbanding, the WWE decided to turn The Monster Among Men face once again.

Now, while Strowman is excellent as a babyface -- what with him being one of the most beloved larger-than-life characters in the WWE Universe today - the WWE's RAW brand desperately needs a top heel. Well, the 6'5" Drew McIntyre makes the most believable villain on the red brand today!

Besides, by having McIntyre absolutely destroy a widely respected legend like Kurt Angle in the closing segment of Monday Night RAW, the WWE has now solidified McIntyre as the biggest villain (apart from Dean Ambrose!) on RAW right now...

#4 To begin the next phase of Drew McIntyre's push

The next phase of Drew McIntyre's push has begun

When Drew McIntyre parted ways with the WWE in 2014, after having finished his disastrous run as a part of 3MB with Jinder Mahal and Heath Slater, the Scotsman worked tremendously hard on the indie professional wrestling circuit to reinvent himself.

In just a couple of years, McIntyre had completely transformed his body from that of a 'skinny fat' average-looking bloke, to the Greek God-like physique he possesses today. McIntyre returned to WWE in 2016, won the NXT Title, and has been wreaking havoc on the main roster after making his RAW comeback earlier this year.

That said, although his ongoing run with Dolph Ziggler has been excellent, McIntyre's dominant performance against Kurt Angle marks the beginning of the next phase of The Scottish Psychopath's push towards the top of the WWE food chain...McIntyre now truly is "The Chosen One"...

#3 To bring shock value by using the "Angle Slam" and the "Ankle Lock"

Drew McIntyre used the Angle Slam and the Ankle Lock to defeat Kurt Angle on RAW

Back in the day, during the Attitude Era or even during the Ruthless Aggression Era, WWE Superstars often used their opponent's finishing moves as a sign of disrespect (storyline disrespect, and not legitimate rudeness). For instance, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin would routinely utilize each other's signature moves during their heated rivalries against one another.

However, when a younger Superstar uses the move of a legend, to attack that very legend -- the act is an obvious move to garner heat for the young Superstar. Furthermore, yet another thing it does is bring a certain amount of shock value to the segment.

After RAW went off the air, McIntyre, joined by Dolph Ziggler continued attacking Kurt Angle, and it was Braun Strowman who came down to the ring in order to save Angle. However, even a good 5-10 minutes after the post-RAW segment was over, the crowd was still in shock of McIntyre having dishonored a legend like Angle by destroying the former Olympian with an "Angle Slam" and making him tap out with the "Ankle Lock"...

#2 McIntyre's staredown with Bobby Lashley added another layer to the squash match against Angle

Drew McIntyre's staredown with The Dominator was quite telling, to be honest

Before Drew McIntyre's systematic destruction of Kurt Angle in the main event of Monday Night RAW, Bobby Lashley faced Finn Balor in the evening's co-main event matchup. With Lio Rush ringside, Lashley went on to defeat Balor, and then proceeded to celebrate his victory alongside Rush -- until they were interrupted by McIntyre who made his way into the ring.

McIntyre then engaged in a staredown with Bobby Lashley, resulting in Lashley and Rush eventually backing out and heading away from the ring. McIntyre then helped Balor up to his feet, and attacked the already-battered Balor with a monstrous Claymore Kick.

What the WWE subtly pulled off in the aforementioned segment, before McIntyre's main event match against Kurt Angle, is that they foreshadowed the fact that The Scottish Psychopath has indeed embarked on a warpath!

Make no mistake about it, McIntyre will face Lashley in the near future. However, the fact that McIntyre intimidated The Dominator, viciously assaulted fan-favorite Finn Balor, and then squashed Angle, just goes to show how much faith the WWE has in McIntyre right now...

#1 Possibility of WWE using Triple H's real-life camaraderie with Drew McIntyre on RAW

Drew McIntyre could rule the RAW brand alongside The Authority

Alright, right off the bat, I'd like to clarify an essential point here. Based on how the WWE has booked Drew McIntyre on RAW thus far, the probability of McIntyre cooperating with The Authority seems relatively negligible at this point.

In fact, McIntyre's on-screen character on RAW has been known to display a disdain towards authority figures. Nevertheless, it's no secret that upon returning to WWE in 2016, McIntyre has closely worked with Triple H in NXT, and after being promoted to RAW earlier this year, the Scotsman is said to have received a ton of advice from both Triple H and Vince McMahon.

With Braun Strowman and Seth Rollins being the top babyfaces on RAW right now, while Brock Lesnar is an anomaly and Dean Ambrose depicts a Lunatic heel as usual -- Drew McIntyre could easily align himself with The Authority, and with the blessings of RAW Commissioner Stephanie McMahon and Triple H, McIntyre could hold the Universal Championship for a long, long time!