A Chosen Destiny

by Drew McIntyre

In this thrilling, no-holds-barred memoir, WWE Champion Drew McIntyre tells the incredible roller-coaster story of his life, from a small village in Ayrshire, Scotland, to the bright lights of WWE.

From a young age, Drew McIntyre dreamed of becoming WWE Champion and following in the footsteps of his heroes Stone Cold Steve Austin and Undertaker. With his parents’ support, he trained and paid his dues, proving himself to tiny crowds in the UK’s Butlin circuit. At age twenty-two, McIntyre made his WWE debut and was touted by none other than WWE Chairman Vince McMahon as “The Chosen One” who would lead WWE into the future. With his destiny in the palm of his hands, Drew watched it all slip through his fingers.

Through a series of ill-advised choices and family tragedy, Drew’s life and career spiraled. As a surefire champ, he struggled under the pressure of expectations and was fired from the company. But the WWE Universe had not seen the last of this promising athlete. Facing a crossroads, the powerful Scotsman set a course to show the world the real Drew McIntyre.

Buoyed by the support of his wife Kaitlyn, and the memory of his beloved mother, Drew embarked on a mission to recharge, reinvent, and revitalize himself to fulfill his destiny. Chosen Destiny is a story of grit, courage, and determination as a fallen Superstar discovers who he truly is and storms back to reclaim his dream.

Genres: Nonfiction, Audiobook, Sports, Biography, Memoir, Autobiography

Audible Audio

First published May 4, 2021

Reviews

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a big reader of biography's, mysteries are more my cup of tea, but being an avid watcher of pro wrestling and Drew McIntyre being my current favorite this book caught my interest.
An inspirational story of making your childhood dreams come true no matter what and despite, sometimes major setbacks. Enjoyed this book. Four stars.

[Jonathan Mitchell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is probably exactly what you would expect from a WWE endorsed autobiography, albeit Drew's own life and wrestling story sees it rise above most similar WWE books.

The negatives includes the fact the book as a whole lacks depth and sweeps over Drew's life and career with a lack of real detail. Neither his time in ICW or TNA is really explored besides his ICW debut and his first marriage is basically given a sentence or two of acknowledgement. A tell-all autobiography this is not and something readers will probably only get when Drew leaves WWE or retires. There is little or no reveals or details of controversy or stories behind the scenes, nor criticism of anyone in the company.

This is all understandable, and on a similar note the book is aimed at non wrestling fans as much as wrestling fans. It is written so that anyone can pick it up and follow the story and does not assume wrestling knowledge to such an extent that it can be frustrating for fans of the sport.

On the positive side, Drew does not apply the same gloss when talking about his family and journey through wrestling. This has a more authentic feel and captures the readers attention as his rise-fall-rise is genuinely captivating and inspiring as is his relationship with his incredible mother, as well as his wife, brother and father and Scottish wrestling family.

As a Scot myself, his nationality and rise is a big part of his and the book's appeal to me and so made for captivating reading at times. This might not be the case for those who aren't from Scotland or the UK. Drew is in some ways a typical Scot in that he is a friendly and respectful guy and that shines through in the book, but he also has a confidence in himself that, although never arrogant nor superior, can come across as a little overbearing and egotistical. But I suppose these traits are essential in the make up of a successful entertainer.

Overall, this book is definitely worth a read for fans of Drew, WWE and wrestling, but the warts and all account of his life is yet to be written.

[Jake · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't watch wrestling for almost 14 years and this book starts and ends at almost the exact spot (RR-WM 2020) I jumped back in, so that was pretty cool.

When everything was scary and unsure, we counted on Drew to be our champion every week, to fight with honor, and to never back down. Drew McIntyre's run as WWE champion saw me through a lot of personal anguish. A lot of it was covid and some wasn't. No matter who else wears that belt, Drew will always be my champion because he carried the title when we needed him the most.

[Craig Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fantastic read

[Reese McGory · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it but it wasn’t like the best autobiography I’ve ever read. I happened to pick this book up at the start of an intense reading slump which I’m not going to blame on the book. It was just crappy timing. The writing was good and as every autobiography should, it gave you both joy and sadness at different points throughout. I hate to call a biography slow or boring because you kinda cant help if your life is boring but it did take a while to really get a groove going which again could be an opinion that I have simply because of a reading slump. I did really appreciate the utter honesty in his alcoholism and being a bit of a shitty boyfriend because thats something he could have easily left out. I would recommend it to anyone who really likes Drew overall.

[Jesse Bouchard · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good solid read about one of my favs. The begging and the end is an exact copy of his WWE network special that aired after WrestleMania 36, so that was hard to read through, but once you get in to the book learning about Drew’s roots and how he got in to the wrestling business it gets interested. I particularly enjoyed reading about the rise to being the “chosen one” to being let go….and his journey back to chasing his dream, which ultimately climaxed with his winning the WWE title at WrestleMania.

[DarthTonic · Rating 5 out of 5]

The emotions I had listening to one of my absolute favorite WWE wrestlers....oooooh boy. I've followed Drew's in ring days since I was about 4 or 5. He always had such a presence about him no matter if he was baby face or heel. I loved listening to his story and how he experienced some of the matches I remembered watching at home of his. He's a very humble character and his narration proved no different.

[Vanessa Kemunto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of all the lines,l enjoyed reading about his rise to being the "chosen one", to being let go and his journey back to chasing his dream which ultimately climaxed his win at wrestlemania. Drew's Meimor is a great example of perseverance and achieving everything in life the hard way.l would definitely recommend this book for a WWE non fan and fan 🤠😇.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

He truly is a wrestling historian! I felt that added a lot to the book. He is a very positive person and looks at the good in the situation and people. I appreciated that, but at times it made me wonder if that made him ignore some valid criticisms. Overall he did a good job telling his story and being honest about his struggles and faults. It was enjoyable.

[Nicole Meadows · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a new Drew fan and also a new wrestling fan, this was so informative and also captivating. I actually impressed my husband recently because of this book. He was playing a wrestling game and it showed the match with Stone Cold and Bret Hart. I told my husband “oh this is the part where Bret Hart turns heel” and my husband turns and is like how do you know that. Because of this book. 🤣 I loved it.

[Cole Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book! Definitely worth the read even if you’re not a wrestling fan!

[Nathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chalking this book to a "wrestling biography" would not give credit to what this story is about.

Drew chronicles a journey from following his dream, taking it for granted, and experiencing falls both personally and professionally and what it took to get himself back on top. Hearing him candidly talk about depression, anxiety, being emotionally unavailable for a portion of his life hits close to home in my own journey.

Drew also has a great sense of humor and is not afraid to show his personality as he documents watching Lady Gaga, dropping quotes from Pirates of the Caribbean or talking about his cats.

I'm glad where Drew is where he is at today as I have also been able to turn my own life around. If I ever get a chance to have an exchange with him. I would thank him for being so candid and not afraid to be human.

[Christopher Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Drew McIntyre story is about initially unfulfilled potential, followed by years of hard work leading to his redemption and the fulfillment of his potential.


McIntyre discovered professional wrestling during his childhood in Scotland and became an avid fan before committing himself to reaching WWE. After bulking up and wrestling all across the British Isles, McIntyre caught the attention of WWE talent scouts and came to the U.S. for training. In nearly no time at all, McIntyre bypassed the rest of the trainees and joined the Smackdown roster. Not long afterward, Vince McMahon himself proclaimed McIntyre as the future of the company – his “Chosen One.”

This caused a lot of jealousy and bad feelings among other wrestlers on the roster who felt that there were others who had worked both harder and longer, and were more deserving of McIntyre’s spot in the company. McIntyre’s personal world fell apart upon the death of his mother from cancer in addition to more and more drinking as he tried to cope with her loss. McIntyre’s “push” never came, and eventually he was fired from the company.

To make a long story short, McIntyre refused to give up on his dream of WWE success. He carried out a strategy to prove himself by wrestling internationally on the independent circuit, winning as many titles as he could. The strategy worked as planned, resulting in McIntyre’s return to WWE and culminating in his 2020 victory over Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania to win the WWE championship.

I gave A Chosen Destiny five stars on Goodreads. It’s a case study in the importance of never giving up on your dreams that I have to admit has inspired me to not give up on mine.

[Farhan Shafie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Drew’s story is a great example of perseverance and earning everything in life the hard way. Great read for wrestling and non-wrestling fans alike.

[Garrison Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’ve watched WWE from the late 2000’s to the 2020’s, you’ve seen the Scottish Psychopath Drew McIntyre on your screen, whether he was an arrogant heel, a brawling monster, or the WWE Champion during the pandemic era. If you want to hear his turbulent story about how he got to that pinnacle and all the obstacles between him and glory, you’ve cracked open the right book. I need to warn you, though, that this book reads like a lot of pro-wrestlers’ memoirs: a childhood dream turned reality with an overabundance of show-don’t-tell violations. Emotional moments that deserved time to breathe barely get a few sentences to describe how Drew was feeling in that moment, which is a shame considering some of the trauma he went through. “I was angry.” “I was sad.” “I wanted to wreck everything.” Not all of the writing is like this, but most of it is. That’s to be expected from celebrity memoirs. If that kind of milk-toast style bothers you or you’re not already part of the wrestling bubble, you may want to keep this book shelved. Otherwise, enjoy the ride!

If you can excuse the bland writing style, then you might be moved by some of these legitimately heartbreaking stories he tells. Winning the WWE Championship in an empty warehouse with no fans to cheer him on is the ultimate bittersweet moment in his career. It’s not nearly as soul-crushing as losing his physically disabled, yet highly optimistic mother to cancer in the middle of his WWE career. Or how about the time when he kept showing up to work plastered because alcohol was the only thing that brought him peace? What about the time when he was fired from WWE along with nine other wrestlers like he was an expendable foot soldier? These are all moments that would destroy any reader if they were explored in depth and with a more descriptive ghostwriter. They still tug at the heartstrings. They still hit me where it hurts. But like I said in the first paragraph, these legitimately painful moments needed time to breathe and develop. Just like Drew was robbed of his Wrestlemania crowd pop, we were robbed of a face full of tears. How’s that for irony?

I wrestled with myself (no pun intended) when trying to decide between a B or a C grade for this memoir. Ultimately, I settled on a B, because Drew McIntyre has an interesting enough life to justify penning a memoir. The way he talks about his obsession with wrestling as a kid and how he brought that fandom into his everyday life? That’s the stuff dreams are made of. Completely transforming his diet and lifestyle after getting fired by WWE? That and touring relentlessly on the indie circuit was exactly what he needed to get back into the company. Getting cheered on by his family in Scotland and his wife in America? That’s what kept him going every night. And then he eventually won the WWE Championship, but that, according to him, was only the beginning of much bigger plans. His newfound work ethic was an admirable thing to see in his process of maturity. But again, it would have meant more with better writing.

A Chosen Destiny is an interesting read, but only if you already follow wrestling. Maybe that was the whole point behind the marketing techniques. Maybe it doesn’t have to be massively appealing to be successful. Should I be more forgiving of books that have a super-niche audience? I’d like to think that’s a good idea. Maybe that’s why I’m being generous with my B grade instead of dropping it to a C. It is a good book for what it is, but I would only recommend it to other wrestling fans. In that respect, the memoir did its job. Drew McIntyre, on the other hand, will hopefully never have to do a long string of jobs ever again. Wrestling fans know what that means.

[Christopher M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Normally autobiographies are not my thing. I tend to become very bored with all of the anecdotes, however this kept me engaged and following the emotional rollercoaster that was Drew Galloway’s story. Surely as some mention his story is nowhere near complete but then again is an autobiography ever really a complete life story if it continues to go on after you’ve written it? Never understood that being an argument for decreased ratings in that genre before. It’s like me saying I don’t like a fantasy series I’m reading because Book 1 didn’t have the complete story of the entire series in it. Anywhoooo

Drew McIntyre’s story is one I’ve witnessed from his early goings in ICW. I’d be able to get videos of his matches on YouTube. Watched from his Chosen One gimmick, to the 3MB and his independent circuit dominance and seeing an absolutely changed man. That is the story I was interested in, and this book delivered it. Some individuals in their reviews have reduced their rating simply due to his first marriage not being spoken about in depth or other parts of his personal life. I disagree with their opinion. My perception is that it’s as Drew Galloway states himself that he is “introverted” and “private” and also since meeting Kaitlyn he’s become a “changed man.” In addition, he doesn’t allow negative things to fester. If the man decides in his heart and mind that he doesn’t want to delve into details on his year long first marriage that didn’t work out for reasons he wants to keep to himself, I fully respect that. It’s his story to tell and yes absolutely with his career being ongoing there’s plenty more to tell in the future I’m sure. But Drew focused in on his humble beginnings, his passion for professional wrestling, his Mum (and family + friends) and his journey through not only WWE and outside of it in the UK scene but also his life and meeting the woman that helped keep him in balance and in check.

I read through this very quickly and it kept me engaged the whole time. Would definitely recommend. I believe they also made a WWE documentary or have interviewed Drew as well that I’ve seen where he shares similar information.

[M.D. Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Chosen Destiny, with...a lot of what you'd expect.

After coming off the highs of Becky's Auto Bio I was hoping for more of the same. Unfortunately, I don't think Drews story was as inspiring or did as much to humanize the man behind the wrestler. I like Drew. He's one of my favorite performers. However, after reading this, I don't feel like he struggled as much as maybe he think he struggled. I feel like this ultimately comes down to his presentation. At 22 he was brought into wwe and at 23 he was proclaimed by the head of the industry to be the chosen one. And he took this to heart. He was entitled and eventually, with a strew of personal events, became his downfall. After hitting rock bottom, he changed his mind set and rose back up to claim his destiny. It's a great story. Just not a story fit for a near 300-page book. Now, I read the audiobook so that was nearly 10 hours.

He goes through the matches like they're real. He doesn't really give me the background information I would have liked. He doesn't give me a lot of background info on other wrestlers. He spends at least 40% of this book going through the moves and matches and how the crowd reacted. It was...boring to say the best. But then he also fluffed out the length with stories of his pets. His family history. And his rather long list of alcoholic tendencies. (Despite denying that he is/was an alcoholic)

Again, I like Drew. But this book wasn't what I wanted. 5/10. Rounded up to 3 stars.

[Mitchell George · Rating 3 out of 5]

Drew McIntyre is one of my favourite superstars in WWE at the moment, being the near perfect blend of incredible wrestling skills coupled with masterful work on the mic. Sadly, his depiction of his rise to the top isn't quite as engaging. This isn't to say it's bad, far from it - I just think it's a fairly run of the mill story of his grind through the indies and his chosen destiny as a future champion. The highlights are easily his tales regarding his friends and family, especially the latter; all the descriptions of his mother, the effect she had on moulding him into the man he became were genuinely touching, and in one case, nearly brought me to tears.

I also think I was just a little disappointed how little light it really shed on the backrooms of the wrestling world; previously, I read Becky Lynch's Not Your Average, Average Girl, which had a fascinating depiction of someone climbing from knowing nothing about wrestling, to being the face of WWE's Women's Revolution, and Jon Moxley/Dean Ambrose's MOX, which felt unique in the sense that it felt like a series of rambling tales that coalesce into a really unique, engaging tale of a man. A Chosen Destiny isn't bad, but it lacks a core that makes me ever really consider re-listening to it, but if you're interested in the tale of Andrew Galloway, A Chosen Destiny will gleefully occupy your time for a while.

[Dre J · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one you would have to be a wrestling fan to really enjoy and know other names and context. His story is of a chosen underdog. I love a good comeback and Drew McIntyre definitely embodies that. He was handpicked by Vince as the “chosen one”, always wanted to wrestle but got kind of burned out and lost on his first run. He went to the indies built himself back up. I remembered when he returned it was like he grew into a man from the little boy man he was. Ever since he has come back he has been one of the top wrestlers. His title reign is always remembered as what took the company through the pandemic time which he did well considering the circumstances. I saw him at a live event and he is very much a big guy like you see on tv and he is just great with the kids now and all you can tell he is having fun doing this now. What surprised me is all the times he spoke on being shy or vulnerable especially around some of the OGs like the undertaker, etc. pretty good read.

[Annie Maxwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's an amazing success story of having a dream and doing anything and everything to make that dream a reality. It is a story of hard work and persistent evrn when the odds are stacked against you with the support of parents. This story isn't focused much about his personal life, just wrestling focuses. They're parts mentioned like his mums illnesses and his wife but not in depth. This book explores getting to WWE and having to start from the bottom back in indies. It mentions TNA and NXT. I would've really loved to read about Money In The Bank 2019 and would've loved some insight into who was planned to win, but the event wasn't mentioned at all in the book. Unlike the women's autobiography, he doesn't mention much of his personal life that isn't wrestling. The only partner he mentions is his current

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book in a Goodreads giveaway. If you are a wrestling fan (like me), you will love this book. I remember Drew McIntyre from his first run in the WWE, and didn’t understand why they didn’t use him more often. I couldn’t figure out why they let him go. He seemed to have so much potential. This book explains exactly what was going on with him at the time. I also remember when he turned up on Impact wrestling. I was so excited. And to now see him back at WWE is fantastic. If you are not familiar with wrestling, you may find this book hard to follow. The descriptions of the matches and the wrestlers he came into contact with I found fascinating as I am a fan. If I wasn’t, I don’t think I would have enjoyed this book at all.

[Pamela Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full disclosure--- I did not know who Drew McIntyre was before reading the book. That being said, I was a huge wrestling fan as a child when Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat were in their primes. I really enjoyed the book as it took me on a journey across the Atlantic and thru the eyes of a dreamer. The story of a boy enthralled with wrestling who made it his goal to excel, only to rise and then fall and then rise again was riveting. I enjoyed the behind the scenes look of the sport as well as the fierce determination of Drew to fight his way back after having taken his position for granted. The steadfast love of his family and friends reminded readers that with support and unwavering passion, a person can achieve wonders.

[Tanner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Likes: Loved the way Drew described things, it made me want to wrestle even more
Sense of humor was on point
Dislikes: Wish he could have talked a little more about his time in WWE now
Feel bad for his mom's death
Overall Impression: This book is so much more than a wrestling novel. It is about struggle, overcoming obstacles personally and professionally, and becoming a better person. Drew's story was beautifully written, with plenty of moments that made you overzealous with gratitude and joy, but also pulled you down to Earth and make you realize you only have one life and you got to live it to the fullest. I hope more books like this are written by WWE superstars, and I am planning on reading more books like this in the future. I think anyone would honestly like this book a lot, so read it!

[Luis Cuesta · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway. ‘A Chosen Destiny’ tells the story of WWE superstar, Drew McIntyre and his rise to the top of the industry’s biggest promotion. From his working class roots in Ayr, Scotland to the bright lights of WWE, readers get to follow Drew’s path to wrestling stardom. Along his memoir Drew often talks about how there wouldn’t be a Drew McIntyre as we know him now without his wife Kaitlyn and his mom Angela, because both became his biggest supporters and inspiration.
Told with a great sense of humor, ‘A Chosen Destiny’ is an entertaining and informative read, specially for WWE fans.

[Simon Prior · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a huge fan of Drew McIntyre and have followed his journey since he debuted in WWE. This book was a really good read and gave a real insight into how he got into wrestling and both stints in WWE. The only reason I gave it four stars and not five is because I felt the 3 years in between his two times in WWE were rushed as I would’ve liked to have learned more about the time wrestling all over the world and especially the time in TNA. But I’m sure there was some legal stuff which stopped that being talked about when the book is a WWE publication.

Overall, a great read for fans of Drew and I hope this is just the beginning of his journey.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm definitely a huge fan of Drew, so this was an interesting look into his life and his wrestling journey up until he won the championship title in 2020. I figured it was fitting to read this now, as we come upon Wrestlemania 40, where Drew has his chance once again, but this time in front of a live audience.

I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed his narration. It was fun learning about the wrestlers who inspired him and helped him along the way, particularly throughout his struggles. This was a good memoir! I always enjoy learning more about the wrestler vs the character they are portraying.

[Karin Baxter · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 / 5, rounded up for GR.
After getting into professional wrestling in 2025, I decided to start reading the autobiographies of my favourite wrestlers (if / where they had one!).

'A Chosen Destiny' is Drew McIntyre's story, told in his own words, and focusing primarily on his life as a wrestler - from WWE to the indies and back again. I learned a lot about Drew's back story, his passion for wrestling and some of the 'tricks of the trade'. The only thing I felt I, personally, was missing, was a bit more about Drew's childhood and early years (as those were mentioned only sparingly). I would, however, certainly recommend this to other wrestling fans.

[Craig Thiel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from a Goodreads giveaway. As a wrestling fan I was familiar with Drew McIntyre, but didn’t know anything about his wrestling journey. His is an inspiring story of determination and perseverance. I really enjoyed the chapters about his time going back to wrestling on the independent circuit after being a star in WWE. I also enjoyed some of the behind the scenes looks at the wrestling business, especially how it changed during the pandemic. It was an interesting and entertaining read!

[Tony Farinella · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quick and entertaining read from Drew McIntyre. However, it lacks depth. It’s not detailed enough when it comes to his wrestling career. It glosses over big moments in his career and it barely touches the surface when it comes to his independent wrestling resurgence from 2014-2017. If you have read most WWE books, you know what to expect in terms of content. They are easily digestible, but they don’t leave the reader with a lot to remember. I’m a big fan of Drew, but someone who has had such a layered and complex career should have a more detailed autobiography.

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an uncensored look at Drew McIntyre's life in and out of WWE. He talks about how he worked the indies in the UK, got signed to the WWE at 21, how hard it was for him to be let go, his journey back through the independent scene and what it was like to return to the WWE as a more seasoned performer. He also covers friends, family, his relationship with his wife and personal issues.
It was really interesting to learn about the different companies that he worked for and different people that he faced in the ring. I wish he gave a little more detail to his time in TNA since he said that working there helped him a lot.
I love that he had a chapter dedicated to his cats and you can really tell how good of friends he and Sheamus are throughout the book (and life). That was cool to read about. He also really loves his wife and credits her with a lot in his life and career.
I'd recommend this to fans of Drew, WWE, wrestling and celebrity bios.