Pat McAfee’s reaction to Michael Cole announcing the suspensions of Sasha Banks and Naomi was genuine.

Just before the main event of the May 20 episode of WWE SmackDown, Cole addressed the situation involving the former Women’s Tag Team Champions. Sasha and Naomi had left the May 16 episode of Raw mid-show despite being booked for a match.

Cole announced that Sasha Banks and Naomi have been suspended indefinitely. He also said there will be a tournament to crown the new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions.

Pat McAfee Caught By Surprise

Fans watching at home quickly took notice of Pat McAfee’s facial expressions as Cole was talking.

During the latest edition of The Pat McAfee Show, the SmackDown color commentator said nobody told him that Cole would be announcing the suspensions of Sasha and Naomi.

“The Sasha-Naomi thing, that was my first time hearing what Cole was saying live there. I have no idea what to think there.

“I have no clue.

“This is a very fascinating thing. She’s [Sasha] a superstar, they were our champions. What’s happening? I honestly have no idea what to believe in this whole thing, they keep me out of the loop on everything.

“I have no f**king idea while Cole was doing his thing I was very fascinated. What is going on right now? I wish I had more answers for people. A couple of people asked me during my chat with Pat on Saturday what was going on.

“It’s like f**k I feel like you know more than I do literally as it was happening.”

Quotes via WrestlingNews.co

Adam Cole still thinks Pat McAfee is a “dirtbag” – but gives the SmackDown Live commentator props for his performance at WrestleMania 38.

Cole was recently interviewed by Stephanie Chase and was asked about his former NXT rival’s performance on “The Grandest Stage Of Them All.” McAfee went one-on-one with Austin Theory in Dallas, Texas and managed to come out on top.

Still playing up to their old storyline, Cole said McAfee is still a “dirtbag,” but admits McAfee’s performance was one of the highlights of the entire weekend.

“As a person, he’s a dirtbag, can’t stand him,” Adam Cole said. “But if I will look objectively and talk about how much potential he has, Pat McAfee blows my mind. He’s so athletically gifted, as far as the wrestling part he’s done great.

“Everyone knows he can talk for hours, and he’s super compelling and interesting. Pat knocked it out of the park, he did an amazing, amazing job. So, as far as the potential of where he could go, and what he could do in the pro wrestling industry, I think he could go as far as he wants to, seriously.

“To me, it was one of the highlights of the entire weekend was Pat’s match. He’s a terrible person, but a lot of potential.”

McAfee had a big WrestleMania weekend in Dallas. First, got to make his in-ring WrestleMania debut against Austin Theory. The ex-NFL punter impressed with his in-ring ability, and even managed to pull out the win over the WWE Superstar. However, what came next was, arguably, even bigger.

Vince McMahon, sitting ringside to support Theory, came into the ring and demanded an impromptu match between himself and McAfee. McAfee, already beaten and tired from his first match, eventually fell to McMahon for the three count.

While McMahon and Theory celebrated, WWE Hall Of Fame Stone Cold Steve Austin hit the ring, stunning both Theory and McMahon to make the save. McAfee actually got to partake in a beer bash celebration with Austin, before “The Rattlesnake” hit McAfee with a stunner as well.

For McAfee, it was a dream-come-true for the longtime professional wrestling fan, and his performance inside the ring alone was impressive on its own.

Quotes via Wrestling Inc.

Pat McAfee has addressed reports that he’s in negotiations with Amazon for NFL games.

McAfee is a former NFL punter who has made a name for himself since retiring from professional American football. He is the current color commentator for SmackDown and has his own podcast, The Pat McAfee Show, which has proven to be a success.

Pat McAfee Addresses Reports

The New York Post reported that McAfee is currently in talks with Amazon to be a part of the broadcast team for Thursday Night Football. The report also notes that McAfee’s show could end up on Prime Video if a deal can be made.

McAfee took to his show to weigh in on the report.

“Pretty high altitudes last night that we were soaring in,” McAfee said. “As I was reading everything on the Internet about what was going on next for our entire company I was like, ‘Is that happening? I don’t know, who knows something?'”

“We are in the middle of conversations with maybe that group of people. Oh, maybe they haven’t even heard about this conversation. I wonder if these people that we are talking to just read this as well.'”

The WrestleMania 38 performer said that he’s used to being the subject of reports and rumors during the NFL offseason.

“This is a wild ‘up to something’ season,” McAfee continued. “This has been like multiple years in a row where we’ve had ‘up to something’ seasons and this particular season seems to be pretty active right now. I’m trying to figure out the best way to handle it, just the most entertaining way to go about doing this whole thing.”

McAfee went on to say that at least something is being worked on.

“With that being said, we are up to something or some things,” he said.

Please H/T SEScoops if you use any quotes from this article.

Pat McAfee is a very busy man, and he might be getting even busier quite soon.

The New York Post is reporting that McAfee is currently in talks to join Amazon and their Thursday Night Football coverage which is set to kick off this fall. Also, the discussions have included the possibility of airing McAfee’s “The Pat McAfee Show” on Amazon Prime Video. “The Pat McAfee Show” currently airs live on YouTube and SiriusXM, and is sponsored by FanDuel.

The report adds that nothing has been finalized. Andrew Marchand of The Post has reported that both Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit have been hired by Amazon to do commentary for Thursday Night Football. As for McAfee, he has been open in the past about not wanting to do color commentary for football due to the big commitment.

Pat McAfee already does weekly commentary live and on-location every Friday night for SmackDown Live. In fact, he recently showed off his in-ring talents when he wrestled Austin Theory at WrestleMania 38 in Dallas, Texas earlier this month. After the match, which McAfee won, he also had an impromptu match with Vince McMahon that he ultimately lost.

It was a very eventful WrestleMania week for the former NFL punter, who got to end it on a happy note, taking a stunner from WWE Hall Of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin after sharing a beer bash celebration with him. There’s currently no word on how a potential Amazon deal would affect McAfee’s WWE commitment.

We’ll keep you updated as we learn more….

Pat McAfee had a very successful WrestleMania debut earlier this month. The SmackDown Live announcer took on Austin Theory in a one-on-one match and came out victorious when it was all said and done.

Of course, after the match, McAfee found himself in an impromptu match against Vince McMahon, which he ultimately lost. Although he was beaten by McMahon, he got to witness WWE Hall Of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin hit the ring to take out his two foes. After Austin cleared the ring of Theory and McMahon, he shared a few beers with McAfee.

However, Austin also gave McAfee a stunner to end the segment. Austin’s involvement was especially surprising considering everyone thought Austin’s weekend was done after the previous night. Austin headlined Night One of WrestleMania 38 in a No Holds Barred match against Kevin Owens. Austin was able to pick up the win in his first match in over 19 years. So when Austin’s music hit during Night Two of WrestleMania, the crowd went absolutely nuts.

It was a tremendous match and segment that Pat McAfee was able to be a part of, and the lead up to the event was just as exciting for him. Recently, McAfee took to his YouTube channel to share a behind-the-scenes look at his WrestleMania week.

The video includes a bit of McAfee’s training with Jaime Noble, his interactions with various big names backstage; including Steve Austin and Jake Paul, and his immediate reaction to his WrestleMania moment. You can check out the full video from McAfee’s YouTube channel here below.

WWE reportedly had a golden idea for a Pat McAfee and Aaron Rodgers tag team that never materialized.

According to a report from Sports Illustrated, shortly after McAfee’s loss at NXT Takeover: WarGames in late 2020, where he was topped by Adam Cole and The Undisputed Era, WWE had plans to bring McAfee back to NXT. The idea was to have McAfee attack Cole before aligning himself with a new partner. That partner would’ve been Green Back Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Of course, the idea never came to fruition, but it certainly would’ve brought some mainstream coverage to NXT. That’s not to say the idea isn’t completely out of the realm of possibilities. McAfee and Rodgers are good friends, as the four-time NFL MVP and former Super Bowl Champion is a frequent guest on “The Pat McAfee Show.” With McAfee so highly regarded within the company, WWE could certainly attempt to make the idea a reality down the road.

McAfee in particular recently had his WrestleMania debut when he faced Austin Theory in a one-on-one bout at Night Two of WrestleMania 38 in Dallas, Texas last week. Although he won the match, his victory was short-lived as Vince McMahon entered the ring soon after, ordering the referee to begin an impromptu match between the pair that quickly saw “The Chairman Of The Board” win.

And if a victory at WrestleMania wasn’t enough, McAfee also got to celebrate with WWE Hall Of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin, who hit the ring for the save after the matchup with McMahon. Austin shared a beer with McAfee before giving him a stunner for good measure as well.

Corey Graves Wants a Match With Pat McAfee

Pat McAfee made his in-ring debut at WrestleMania 38 this past weekend. McAfee took on Austin Theory, while Vince McMahon watched ringside. When it was all said and done, however, McAfee emerged victorious over Theory. Of course, McAfee found himself immediately in another match, as McMahon entered the ring and ordered the referee to ring the bell, shortly thereafter pinning McAfee for a WrestleMania victory of his own.

Seeing McAfee compete in the ring, and in quite impressive fashion, seems to have inspired fellow WWE commentator Corey Graves. Graves recently did an interview with Wrestling Inc., and mentioned the possibility of sharing the ring with McAfee one day. However, it would have to be on the only day that RAW and SmackDown Live go head-to-head inside the ring, given they commentate on different brands, Survivor Series.

“Not to my knowledge was it ever discussed with any sense of legitimacy. But you’ve got to remember, there’s only one night a year Raw and SmackDown competes in head-to-head competition, Survivor Series.

“I hope, I am going to start politicking now,” he said on a possible match. “I think McAfee and Graves at Survivor Series, I think we have to pass the bar that was set by Cole and Lawlor at WrestleMania.”

Shane McMahon’s Son Set to Play College Football

Shane McMahon’s son, Declan James McMahon, has announced that he will be playing college football for Indiana University. Declan’s Twitter bio notes that the running back is six-feet tall and 190 pounds, although he played quarterback as well for Poly Prep Country Day School in Brooklyn.

You can check out Declan’s announcement, as well as reactions from Shane McMahon, Stephanie McMahon, and John Cena below:

One of the biggest bright spots of WrestleMania 38 this past weekend was Pat McAfee vs. Austin Theory. Theory was accompanied to the ring by Vince McMahon, who was not pleased when McAfee came out on top and pinned Theory for the victory in front of the jam-packed Dallas, Texas crowd.

After the match, McMahon got into the ring himself and ordered for an impromptu match between himself and the former NFL punter. McMahon ended up defeating an already beaten down McAfee, earning himself a win at “The Show Of Shows” at 76-years-old. However, after the match was over, WWE Hall Of Famer and old McMahon rival Stone Cold Steve Austin hit the ring.

Austin hit McMahon with, arguably, the worst stunner of all time, before engaging in his signature celebratory beer bash. “The Rattlesnake” then invited McAfee into the ring to share a beer, before hitting him with a stunner too. McAfee got the opportunity to reflect on his WrestleMania moment this morning (Monday. April 4, 2022) on his radio program “The Pat McAfee Show.”

When co-host AJ Hawk asked McAfee if he knew ahead of time that Austin was coming out after the match, and would stun him too, McAfee claims he did not.

“Listen, I was sitting there just befuddled with everything that was going on in my life right there,” McAfee said (via WrestleZone). “And I’m not good enough in that business for everything that happened there. There was a lot of trust that was placed upon me, hindsight, that should not have been because I’m in there, like, I should have been given a heads up. I’ve done this three times, like should I have not been given a heads up? Hindsight, like they were really confident in me figuring some stuff out, I guess. But it was cool, AJ.”

As for Austin, this was his second night in a row getting physical at WrestleMania, as he main evented Night One by defeating Kevin Owens in a No Holds Barred match; his first official match in WWE in over 19 years since retiring in 2003.

WWE ended up going with Pat McAfee vs. Austin Theory at WrestleMania 38. However, that didn’t mean Vince McMahon escaped without getting physical.

The match saw McMahon at ringside for the bout and introduced Theory as a future champion. McAfee went over with a roll up. The fans were really behind McAfee.

Post-match, McAfee challenged McMahon to a fight. McMahon got into the ring and the bell rang. McMahon beat him down for a few minutes. McMahon punted a football at McAfee for the win. Steve Austin came out and stunned both McMahon and Theory. He later stunned McAfee.

Theory revealed that he would be McAfee’s opponent at WrestleMania 38 after McMahon offered the opportunity for the SmackDown color commentator to wrestle at the event during an appearance on McAfee’s radio show.

It had been previously reported that McMahon vs. McAfee was internally listed for WrestleMania with the idea that there would be smoke and mirrors. Also, the plan called for Theory to take the majority of the bumps for the WWE Chairman.

Austin worked his first match in 19 years at WrestleMania Saturday when he beat Kevin Owens in a no holds barred match.

Pat McAfee has heaped major praise on Michael Cole.

McAfee serves as the color commentator of WWE’s SmackDown brand. The former NFL punter has been lauded for his work on WWE TV. It’s led to him receiving a match against Austin Theory on night two (April 3) of WrestleMania 38.

Pat McAfee Has Kind Words For Michael Cole

During an appearance on SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio, Pat McAfee responded to the notion that he’s seemingly picked up on wrestling commentary in no time.

McAfee said it’s a combination of preparation and the help of an experienced veteran such as Michael Cole.

“There’s been others that have done it in a different fashion and better than me in my eyes but I kinda do my own thing, and I feel like I have slotted my own role as commentator there in the history of the business, which is not easy to do cause there’s so many greats.

“Everybody’s trying to be somebody else it feels like but you gotta remember Cole was the one who called me and gave me the kickoff panel opportunity for NXT like four years ago.

“So, Cole and I have known each other for four years at this point. People say, ‘Hey, you’re a natural,’ which I appreciate. I’ve been watching wrestling, listening to the commentators for like 25 years now at this point.

“So, I don’t wanna say that I was just able to drop in and do it. I feel like I’ve been preparing for a lot of these things for a long time.”

McAfee went on to say that Cole simply knows his stuff at the commentary table.

“Michael Cole is the GOAT, by the way. He could do that show with anybody. He could do that show with a bag if he had to, and he proved that after I got escorted out after beating the hell out of Austin Theory. He was able to call his own match.

“He’s coming up on 25 years doing that job, he’s only missed two shows. You’re talking about one of the most experienced, one of the best workers, and a man who is an actual journalist who has the professionalism to go through some bullshit.

“There’s some bullshit segments that he has to lay out and do and it’s just part of the job.”

Please H/T SEScoops if you use any quotes from this article

Pat McAfee is set to compete at WrestleMania 38, as revealed by Vince McMahon when he appeared on his show this month. McAfee will face Austin Theory, and he talked about this match and more when he appeared as a guest on Busted Open Radio this week.

McAfee hyped up his match against Theory and also discussed creative freedom in WWE. McAfee said that he has a good relationship with a producer at the company, who has been in the business for a long time. McAfee said that even though he and the producer are opposites, he always made sure to say hello to him because he has enjoyed his work as a fan. McAfee then further talked about creative freedom saying that it isn’t as bad as people outside WWE make it out to be.

“For a couple of years now, I’ve gotten a chance to chat with said producer. I think he understands me pretty good,” Pat McAfee said (via Fightful). “Austin Theory, he’s just going to get his ass beat. There hasn’t been anything yet in this entire WWE existence that I’ve said, ‘Hey, we should try this’ that has been completely ruled out. There has been a couple things that I have brought to the forefront and said, ‘This would be cool,’ and I’ve been told, ‘that might be happening…we have to dance around.’ Cool, I completely understand. I feel like the creative and conversation get pooped on a lot outside of WWE. Going in, I assumed that everything was going to be impossible.”

McAfee added that he is a creative person and therefore his ideas are also good when he puts them forward. McAfee essentially made the point that people who cry about not getting creative freedom in WWE were just pitching bad ideas. McAfee also said that freedom has to be earned and it’s not just handed to you.

“I thought I was going in there and it was going to be tooth and nail trying to get everything done. I haven’t experienced that at all. I know other people haven’t had the exact same results, but I’m also not 100% sure that people have what I’m bringing to the table as well. That gets lost in a lot of the conversation. If you don’t like what’s going on, you can leave. I did that to the NFL, I did that to Barstool, a couple different places. Freedom is something you earn, it’s not something you’re given. I’m very fortunate to be at that particular spot. The people I’m working with for this match are awesome. We’re going to put together a classic, we’re going to try out best at least, to do WrestleMania some respect.”

Pat McAfee will face Austin Theory on Night Two of WrestleMania 38 on April 3. After Vince McMahon personally invited McAfee to compete at WrestleMania, Theory belittled the SmackDown commentator just one night later. McAfee has competed on NXT, with his most memorable appearance being at NXT TakeOver WarGames 2020. Other matches on the same night include WWE Champion Brock Lesnar vs. Universal Champion Roman Reigns in a Winner Takes All match to unify the titles, Bobby Lashley vs. Omos, Edge vs. AJ Styles, and Johnny Knoxville vs. Sami Zayn among others.

The Get to Know Wrestling Podcasts series looks at The Black Announce Table. The podcast is making strides in the wrestling community with its new deal with Seat Geek. The Black Announce Table shares how the brand came together, the growth in wrestling podcasting and what the partnership means for independent content creators.

It can be challenging for independent wrestling content creators to find success, particularly in podcasting. Since it grew in popularity, wrestling podcasting has become a competitive profession, mainly dominated by former wrestlers’ names attached to the project. However, new independent podcasts have emerged in popularity in recent years, like The Black Announce Table.

After years of producing content, the independent wrestling brand announced a partnership with Seat Geek. The deal opens new opportunities for the brand and creates new possibilities for other podcasters.

I recently had the chance to speak with the group. Here’s the video of our discussion, followed by written highlights.

Get To Know The Black Announce Table Podcast

In 2017, Ephraim “SkyHighEph” Lawrence created the Black Announce Table Podcast alongside Codie “Codie Dre” Wilson and Chris Ann “Ms. Sookoo” Sookoo. All three content creators got into podcasting because of their love for wrestling. The group also noted that when they started, there weren’t aware of many well-known black wrestling podcasters, but they did credit Cheap Heat and Wrassle Rap as podcasts that stood out.

Although it took time reach their success, the podcast has flourished with over 200 episodes. When speaking on the growth of the podcast, Lawrence said, “… We’ve never rushed anything, and we’ve taken step by step by step, we’ve taken it at our own pace and our own time. That’s just been the way it worked out for us.” He shared that the brand also has multiple shows on Patreon that fans requested to help their growth. Lawrence continued,”… As far as branding and becoming a brand to go back to my dad again, do it yourself. I can’t sit here and wait on some company or some brand or somebody to come and reach out to me. I might sit here forever to try to get that. Let’s do it ourselves.”

Why is The Seat Geek deal important 

The partnership with Seat Geek is The Black Announce Table for unique because the group is independent and not backed by another brand. Although they don’t rule out potentially working with the likes of Spotify, they are focused on working for themselves and increasing their audience.

The deal also shows the increased interest for independent wrestling content creators. On Feb. 17, The Hollywood Reporter shared that Spotify signed an agreement with Complex Networks for audio programming. Among the new Complex shows was the introduction of their wrestling show led by The Jobber Tears Podcast‘s Sir Wilkins and Church of Joshi’s Alex Queen of the Ring. Other content creators like Public Enemies Podcast, The Black Rasslin’ Podcast, and Bell to Belles also show growth in engagement with fans and wrestlers.

The Black Announce Table believes more opportunities are coming for wrestling content creators. Wilson also believes podcasting overall is experiencing success and noted Pat McAfee’s $120 Million deal with FanDuel. “These deals they are signing for podcast right now is at an all time high. Looking back on it, starting this podcast and everything we didn’t know all of this was in the future, if anything, said Wilson. He continued “We just wanted to get out here and talk, but now seeing the avenues and the plays that can happen from the podcast right now is crazy.”

What’s Next for The Black Announce Table Podcast

The group hopes to continue to increase their audience and compete with other wrestling podcasts. Podbay ranks The Black Announce Table Podcast number 34 on trending wrestling podcasts. However, most podcast ahead of them are either published by a network or associated with an established wrestler. The success of The Black Announce Table shows that independent wrestling content creators can thrive and live their dream of talking about wrestling.

Austin Theory will battle SmackDown announcer Pat McAfee at WrestleMania 38. It should be an entertaining match, but it’s not what WWE originally had planned.

At one point, WWE Chairman Vince McMahon was rumored to be competing against McAfee at the company’s biggest show of the year.

When McMahon was announced as a guest on the Pat McAfee’s Show, it seemed this would be the forum to set up the special attraction. McMahon offered McAfee a chance to compete at WrestleMania, which he accepted. On a subsequent episode of WWE SmackDown, Austin Theory revealed himself to be McAfee’s opponent.

In the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer shed some light on how McAfee vs. Theory came to be and what the original plan was for Vince McMahon’s involvement.

Vince McMahon’s Role at WrestleMania 38

“Obviously, from the 2/28 Raw, where Theory talked about McAfee perhaps attacking Vince McMahon and he’ll be there to help McMahon if that happened him on the 3/3 episode of McAfee’s show,” wrote Meltzer. “Then nothing at all transpired and Theory wasn’t even there, indicating a major change in plans.”

WWE sources confirmed there was a significant change from the original plans. While Vince McMahon won’t be wrestling, he’s still slated to be a big part of the match and will help get heat on Austin Theory.

Meltzer added, “What appears to be the idea is that there will be an angle to get McMahon into the match, likely overseeing the match and being at ringside rather than it being a handicap match, although that has been talked of as well.”

Had the Vince McMahon vs. Pat McAfee match taken place, Austin theory would have been heavily involved and taking all the bumps on McMahon’s behalf.

It’s speculative, but perhaps McMahon soured on the idea because he did not feel it was right to advertise himself in a match while ‘outsourcing’ his bumps to Austin Theory.

WrestleMania 38 takes place over two nights on Saturday, April 2nd and Sunday, April 3rd from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

• Pat McAfee: “I Guess Cody Rhodes is Coming to WWE. Who Cares?”

WWE Chairman Vince McMahon has shared his thoughts on the company’s hiring decision.

WWE has faced backlash for how they released talent last year. The company released over 80 talent in 2021, most of the reasons due to budget cuts. Meanwhile, WWE also praised themselves for their financial success last year.

McMahon explained his decision to release talent in an interview with Pat McAfee on Mar. 3.

“I’m always concerned about what’s best for the audience, always. What does the audience want, and if you have dead weight around you or if you had a situation by someone not cutting it and you have an opportunity for someone to come in, it’s like, okay, that’s probably the best thing,” said McMahon.

Vince McMahon on Listening to the Audience

Sometimes in professional wrestling, a talent may do something that could burn bridges to work with a company. An example could be Hulk Hogan working for WCW. However, McMahon believes that as long as the fans want valuable talent, WWE will always consider hiring a wrestler. He also tied in that while he releases talent, he also looks to add new people to the WWE roster.

“… Hogan and a lot of those guys left me at one time, why I brought them back. It’s like, ‘I’ll never bring that son of a b*itch back as long as I live.’ When you say stuff like that, you’re really hurting yourself because you’re not thinking about your audience. You’re not thinking about your product, and it’s not about you and your ego,” said McMahon.

He continued, “It’s like, ‘Yeah, okay, maybe I really felt that way. Maybe I didn’t, but nonetheless, it doesn’t matter. What’s the best thing for business? If the audience wants Hulk Hogan back, you bring him back if he has value that way.”

Vince McMahon on Proritizing the Stockholders

McMahon also believes that the WWE going public made him a better businessman. While the WWE releases seem unjust, McMahon expressed that he lets people go due to the business and isn’t personal.

“Once I took the company public, it helped me become a better businessman because prior to that, I was running the business with my head, but mostly with my heart as well, said McMahon. He continued, “These decisions are so damn tough when you do that, because of who it is, he has kids or this that and the other or someone has cancer in the family, and all that computes in your head, but once you’re a public company now you owe stockholders. It is the business then, so it helps me make easier and better business decisions.”

McMahon wants fans to know that he does have a heart. While WWE releases seemed callous, the WWE Chairman prioritizes his business.

Pat McAfee will take on Austin Theory at WrestleMania 38. WWE confirmed the match during this week’s episode of WWE Friday Night SmackDown when Theory came out to cut a promo on him by stating that McAfee had been set up by Vince McMahon when McMahon was on McAfee’s podcast on Thursday afternoon.

Theory walked to the announce table to inform McAfee that he was McAfee’s opponent for WrestleMania. He then slapped McAfee, which stunned him as Theory took selfies and left.

During McMahon’s appearance on Thursday’s episode of The Pat McAfee show, he offered McAfee a match at WrestleMania with McAfee accepting. As of last Thursday, it was reported a match between McAfee and McMahon was in the internal WrestleMania 38 schedule. It’s possible that McMahon will still be part of the match. 

WWE presents the WrestleMania 38 event on Saturday, April 2 and Sunday, April 3, 2022 in Dallas, Texas at AT&T Stadium that will air on Peacock. WWE will be announcing more matches for this show in the coming weeks.

• WWE WrestleMania 38 Match Card, Date & Time, How To Watch

Friday Night Smackdown Commentator Pat McAfee will be making his main roster in-ring debut at Wrestlemania.

Since working on the main roster, McAfee has stayed behind the commenter desk working alongside Michael Cole. However, WWE initially brought McAfee to compete as a wrestler. The former Indianapolis Colts Punter made his in-ring debut in NXT against Adam Cole at NXT Takeover 30 on Aug. 22, 2020.

Despite his inexperience in the ring, McAfee impressed his peers with his athleticism and wrestling ability. He also competed in an NXT Wargames match on Dec. 6, 2020. Once called to the main roster, fans expected McAfee to wrestle or manager, but WWE made him Smackdown’s commentator. After accepting the commentator role, it seemed that McAfee’s wrestling career had ended.

On The Pat McAfee Show, WWE Chairman Vince McMahon praised McAfee’s work and allowed him to have a match at Wrestlemania 38.

“…I know you love what we do, and you are a part of the time big time. People in the organization really enjoy you, and fans all over the world really enjoy you being you,” said McMahon. He continued, “…With that, I’d like to offer you an opportunity to actually wrestle at Wrestlemania.” McMahon also cautioned McAfee that it would be different from his time playing for the NFL and would find a worthy opponent.

Will Austin Theory Be Pat McAfee Opponent?

During the Pat McAfee Show broadcast, Austin Theory’s name came up, and McAfee’s co-host AJ Hawk thought Theory might appear. Theory is also the companion of McMahon and teased potentially confronting the Smackdown Commentator at Monday Night Raw on Feb. 28. Although he didn’t show up on the show, WWE could decide to make McAfee vs. Theory at Wrestlemania 38.

It’s unclear whether WWE decided that Theory will be McAfee’s opponent. McAfee also joked that he must get in shape to make his Wrestlemania debut. Regardless, the former Indianapolis Colts Punter will look to have a Wrestlemania moment next month.

Vince McMahon will give a rare interview on Thursday afternoon as a guest on The Pat McAfee Show. This will be McMahon’s first extensive live interview since appearing on The Stone Cold Podcast back in 2014.

In a new report from Fightful Select, it was emphasized that the interview will in fact be “real.” While it’s expected that McMahon will begin some type of storyline with McAfee during the interview, rumored to culminate in a match at WrestleMania 38, the rest of the appearance should be fascinating given the nature of the appearance.

While McAfee does announce for WWE, his show is not part of the WWE’s ecosystem. McMahon going on an outside program like this hasn’t happened in many, many years, especially in a live setting. There are many directions the questioning could take.

McMahon did appear on WWE Monday Night Raw this week as part of his ongoing story with Austin Theory. During that appearance, Theory offered to accompany Vince to the interview and back him up in case McAfee got physical with him. McMahon declined stating it wouldn’t be that type of a show. Theory made it seem like he will be there for the interview anyway.

• Pat McAfee Responds To Reports Of Vince McMahon Match

It would make sense for Theory to be involved in whatever is planned for WrestleMania given McMahon’s age and his limitations in the ring. WWE continues to use Vince in their efforts to get Theory over with the WWE audience, an ongoing project that, judging by crowd reactions, has not worked thus far. Perhaps a prime spot at WrestleMania could help change things.

McMahon’s interview on The Pat McAfee Show is set to begin at 2:00 p.m. Eastern on Thursday.

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WWE chairman and CEO Vince McMahon will be making a rare media appearance Thursday afternoon on the Pat McAfee Show.

McAfee has since responded to this announcement on Twitter. He said that he is ready to have the conversation of a lifetime with one of his current employers:

“Abaht to have the conversation of a LIFETIME with the LEGENDARY billionaire genius @VinceMcMahon next week #SmackDown #SmackDAHN,”

The Pat McAfee show steams from 12 noon ET on both YouTube and SiriusXM Channel 82 every Monday to Friday.

The former NFL player also recently interviewed Brock Lesnar on his show. During the appearance, Lesnar talked about things such as his social anxiety and more.

McMahon usually does not make a lot of media appearances. It will be interesting to see what comes out of this rare interview.

McAfee, who has previously wrestled for the company is also rumored for a WrestleMania feud but there is no word yet on who he might face at the show.

There have been wild rumors going around about the upcoming WrestleMania 38 PPV event. One of them is that Vince McMahon himself is going to be involved in a Mania program with Pat McAfee.

The former NFL player is not unaware of this chatter either. He recently posted a video of his previous wrestling performances on Twitter and claimed that whatever he is a part of, it’s going to be a banger:

“You all seem to know A LOT more abaht what I’m up to than me.. I’m excited to see what happens at this point as well. WrestleMania chatter is WILD right now. Just a reminder..If you think imma be a part of something that isn’t a BANGER… you’re AHT of your damn mind” wrote McAfee

The reports of Mr McMahon getting involved in a WrestleMania program first came out last week. At the time it wasn’t clear whether he would actually be wrestling a match.

More details on the plans for this feud have come to light since. It suggests that while a match may actually take place, we will most likely not see the boss taking on Pat McAfee directly.

Vince McMahon is scheduled to make an appearance at McAfee’s podcast this Thursday. We should get a better idea for the direction of this feud on the show.

It was recently confirmed that Vince McMahon would be appearing on The Pat McAfee Show, but now it appears as though the match between the two has been locked in.

Dave Meltzer recently confirmed that the bout between the 76 year-old WWE Chairman and SmackDown commentator was “internally scheduled” for WrestleMania 38.

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter writer noted on social media: “As of last night, Vince McMahon vs. Pat McAfee was listed as a match on the internal schedule for WrestleMania.”

As noted, the WWE Chairman is set to appear on The Pat McAfee Show on Thursday, where it is likely that they will start to build the angle.

Whilst it won’t exactly be the best technical wrestling match in company history, it is certainly another intriguing prospect for what is already becoming a baffling card for WrestleMania 38.

Here are the matches that are currently confirmed and/or rumored for the massive event in Dallas, Texas this April:

• Universal and WWE Championship Unification Match: Roman Reigns (c) vs (c) Brock Lesnar (Confirmed)
• RAW Women’s Championship Match: Becky Lynch (c) vs Bianca Belair (Confirmed)
• SmackDown Women’s Championship Match: Charlotte Flair (c) vs Ronda Rousey (Confirmed)
• The Miz and Logan Paul vs Rey Mysterio and Dominik Mysterio (Confirmed)
• Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Kevin Owens (Rumored)
• WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: Sami Zayn (c) vs Johnny Knoxville (Rumored)
• Drew McIntyre vs Happy Corbin (Rumored)

WrestleMania is the event of surprising feuds and big matches. This year it might involve a match featuring none other than the boss himself, Vince McMahon.

The chairman and CEO of WWE was announced for an appearance at the Pat McAfee show during the SmackDown broadcast this week.

According to John Pollock at Post Wrestling, McMahon’s appearance has been scheduled to “launch a program” with McAfee that will lead to something at WrestleMania.

When asked whether this program involving the 71-year-old billionaire will be billed as an official match, Pollock was told that it was “most likely.”

Vince McMahon At WrestleMania

If the WWE owner does end up wrestling at the show, it will be Vince McMahon’s first official match since his bout with CM Punk during a Raw episode back in 2012.

Mr. McMahon’s last match at the Show Of Shows was against Bret Hart during WrestleMania 26 in 2010. The match with Hart was his fifth official WrestleMania match.

Even if McMahon has not wrestled an actual match for a while, he has had numerous physical altercations since then. This includes confrontations with the likes of Kevin Owens and AJ Styles.

WWE broadcaster Pat McAfee has commented on the possibility of Cody Rhodes returning to the company.

After his shocking departure from All Elite Wrestling, all signs are pointing to Cody Rhodes returning to WWE in the short-term future. In fact, WWE began teasing Cody’s arrival on this week’s Monday Night Raw.

On Tuesday’s edition of The Pat McAfee Show, the SmackDown color commentator addressed the buzz about Cody’s future. He also addressed the Wednesday Night Wars and took a few digs at AEW in the process.

“I guess Cody Rhodes is coming to WWE,” said McAfee. “I guess. Who cares, dude, you know? Him and his little friends, they started something, it was terrible, we actually went head-to-head with them on Wednesdays, we beat ’em a couple different times, who cares? The hell with Cody Rhodes!”

McAfee must have realized there’s money to be made with Cody Rhodes in WWE, because he pivoted his position pretty quickly.

Taking on a more positive outlook, McAfee said Cody is a “massive name” and is excited by the prospect of working together.

“Now people are going to think I’m starting an angle with Cody Rhodes,” he joked. “I’m actually pretty pumped if Cody is coming back. [He’s] obviously a massive name in Sports Entertainment. If he’s coming to SmackDown, I’m excited by it.”

• Cody Rhodes Could Have Been AEW’s Greatest Heel. What Happened?

You can catch Pat McAfee’s comments about Cody Rhodes below:

Adam Cole is a free agent. His WWE contract is believed to have expired on Friday and it is not clear where he will end up next. While some expect Cole to sign with AEW, there are others hoping a chance still remains he re-signs with WWE.

One darkhorse contender to sign Adam Cole to a contract appears to be Pat McAfee, however. The Smackdown commentator sent out a Tweet recently to offer Cole a “legitimate contract” to work on the Pat McAfee Show.

What is the latest on Adam Cole?

According to a report from PW Insider, a memo was sent out to some WWE employees recently letting them know that Adam Cole is no longer with the company. He is expected to field offers from other promotions. It was also noted that he could still re-sign with WWE. Previous reports have suggested that Cole is likely done with the company, however.

According to a report from Talk Sport, Cole does not have a 90-day no-compete clause that he would have to wait out before debuting in another company.

“As part of the extension, Cole also managed to ‘kill the non-compete clause’ he would have had to fulfill,” wrote Alex McCarthy earlier this month.

Smackdown commentator Pat McAfee has revealed he has tested positive for Covid-19 on Twitter. He also announced that he would be out indefinitely. WWE has not released a statement regarding McAfee’s positive test.

Pat McAfee’s NXT Career

Despite being the current Smackdown commentator, he started his WWE career in NXT last year. He made his in-ring debut with Adam Cole at NXT Takeover 30 on August 22, 2020. His last match was a War Games match at NXT Takeover: War Games on December 6, 2020, with his teammates Pete Dunne, Danny Burch, and Oney Lorcan vs. the Undisputed Era.

Although his in-ring activity lasted a few months, he was praised for his ability by other WWE talents and even by WWE Hall Of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin. In an interview with ESPN on December 15, 2020, Austin said, “Hey man, he puts it all on the line. He’s going for it. I think his verbal skills, he’s slaying everybody, but he’s not afraid to go out there and put it all on the line. You wouldn’t expect it from a guy who goes out there and kicks a football.”

New Role as Smackdown Commentator

He joined the Smackdown roster as a commentator on April 16th. Paired with Michael Cole, he has received praise for his work. Cole, who has been with the WWE for nearly 25 years, credits McAfee with revitalizing his career on the Pat McAfee Show.

When sharing what makes McAfee different from past co-workers, Cole said, “…You’re different than all of those guys because you’re a true fan and you bring that enthusiasm to the product, and seeing how you’ve been acting over the past couple of months has really revitalized what I do, and I realize that I have to step up my game to keep up with what you’re doing from an enthusiastic standpoint and that’s what I’m trying to do.”

McAfee’s last appearance was at Summerslam at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on August 21st.

It’s unclear who will replace him while he recovers, but now another question remains that could potentially lead to other WWE talent indefinitely off WWE programming. Was there any WWE talent in contact with him in the last five days before his positive diagnosis?

WWE SmackDown color commentator Pat McAfee responded to Adam Cole’s potential exit from the company.

The in-ring future of Cole has been a hot topic as of late. Word broke that Cole’s contract had expired and that WWE officials were able to get him to sign a brief extension through SummerSlam weekend. Cole lost a two-out-of-three falls match to Kyle O’Reilly at TakeOver 36 and reportedly hasn’t signed a new contract.

Pat McAfee, who feuded with Cole during their time on NXT, addressed the report during his show.

“Adam Cole, if you’re gonna run to another place I’m gonna find you and beat your f*cking ass over there.”

Cole suddenly finds himself to be a top free agent unless something has changed in the past 24 hours. AEW World Tag Team Champions, The Young Bucks, have already teased pursuing Cole. On top of that, Cole’s girlfriend, AEW Women’s World Champion Britt Baker, has also dropped a hint of her own.

It was reported that top WWE executives were said to be frustrated and embarrassed over the situation with Cole. It is strongly believed that Canyon Ceman, who was WWE’s Vice President of Talent Development, was released over the contract debacle.