Drew McIntyre is on fire.

Ever since he rebranded himself into a ruthless heel who spends his free time making shady tricep workout videos, the case for him headlining WrestleMania 40 has become stronger and stronger. He was one of the final four in this most recent Royal Rumble match, which puts him in the company of the GUNTHER, the longest reigning Intercontinental Champion; CM Punk, one of WWE’s most famous acquisitions; and Cody Rhodes, who ended up being the first person to win back-to-back Royal Rumble matches in over 20 years. His recent feud with Sami Zayn has shown an unabashedly aggressive side of the Scottish star — a far cry from his uncertain tweener persona during his temporary alliance with The Judgement Day — and his promo segments have only increased in quality. This version of McIntyre might be a bit more cruel and a bit more bitter, but he is also miles better than what he was when he won the world title at WrestleMania 36.

So, now that CM Punk has been sidelined with a torn tricep, a coveted spot at WrestleMania 40 is up for grabs. That spot needs to go to McIntyre.

Perhaps this is not as hot of a take as I think it is, but in a world where the main event of WrestleMania 40 is so clouded with confusion and will-they-won’t-they’s, I think it needs to be clearly said: McIntyre deserves to main event WrestleMania. After a career like McIntyre’s, most people would become complacent, rest on their laurels, and throw in the towel — after all, it doesn’t get much better than winning the Royal Rumble and defeating Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania. McIntyre’s recent work has implied much of the opposite. Even after clawing his way to the top of the men’s locker room, McIntyre has continuously put more and more effort into perfecting his craft. His ruthless promos and heel work with Punk and Zayn have attested to that, and even two years removed from 40, he looks better than ever. McIntyre’s momentum feels like the genuine, untainted result of the incredible work he’s put in during this WWE run. It only makes sense for him to be in the main event of WrestleMania 40, most likely for the World Heavyweight Championship. In his own words, he needs to “live CM Punk’s dream, again“.

Did I mention how good his heel work is right now?

Whether or not he actually wins the title in front of a live crowd at WrestleMania, that is a question for another day. The first order of business is to actually cement McIntyre’s WrestleMania spot. With how skilled he is, and how much more skilled I expect him to become, that shouldn’t be much of a struggle to do.

Written by Angeline Phu