As WrestleMania draws near, it appears that Drew McIntyre will be featured in a high profile singles match on the show.

McIntyre’s booking on this week’s Raw, where he defeated Dean Ambrose, then beat him down after the win, sets him up for a big match at Mania.

Jim Ross expressed surprise on this week’s Jim Ross Report that McIntyre’s match for WrestleMania has not already been set in stone.

Ross also says that he had expected McIntyre to be in a top feud given his positioning for much of 2018.

“I was shocked in a certain sense that McIntyre was not figured higher in the card at WrestleMania,” JR says. “He’s the future, in a lot of ways.”

In laying out Ambrose, McIntyre may now be in line for a match with Roman Reigns, a position that Ross believes McIntyre is worthy of.

As Ross sees it, Drew is the future of WWE, for a number of reasons.

“I still think he’s a big time player… He’s everything Vince [McMahon] likes,” Ross says.

“He’s a good-looking guy, he’s well-muscled, he’s in great shape. He works firm, stiff, and solid. And he’s different.”

“I think he’s one of the key cogs to the future of the WWE, without a doubt.”