After controversially being inserted into the WWE WrestleMania 42 build on SmackDown, Pat McAfee stayed in character while addressing the situation on his ESPN show today.
McAfee looked back on the weekend in sports and named his alliance with Randy Orton as the biggest thing that happened. They joined forces on SmackDown with McAfee aiming to “save the business’ by having Orton defeat Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania. Bringing up that tickets to WrestleMania still aren’t sold out, McAfee called Rhodes a “puppet” champion and said the business he’s leading is “terrible.”
On The Pat McAfee Show, McAfee brought up that his daughter is about to turn three years old. He wants her to be a wrestling fan, but he wants wrestling to be what it’s supposed to be. That starts with elevating Orton back up to the top of the company.
“Somehow tickets are still available for WrestleMania. Just know that we got some things cooking, and you’re going to want to be in Las Vegas,” McAfee said. “It’s going to be spectacular. It’s going to be special. Future wrestling generation fans will have to look back on the night that was in Las Vegas and say, ‘That was the moment that that GOAT saved the entire business by becoming 15-time World Champion.’ Shout out to Randy Orton. Thank you, Randy, for doing that.”
McAfee acknowledged the backlash the segment received but said the fans who reacted negatively are the exact type of people he’s doing this for.
“These IWC dipsh*ts, they have no idea. This is for the good of them,” McAfee said. “They have no idea what they’ve been missing, they have no idea what it’s supposed to look like. Now we change that. That’s the Internet Wrestling Community. They’re not the biggest fans of what happened, they’re pretty upset about it. But they are a part of the problem. They are the ones that said, ‘Yeah, this is what it’s supposed to be, all this stuff.’ It’s like, ‘Nah, let us show you what it’s supposed to be whenever Randy Orton is at the top of the marquee.'”
The Rhodes vs. Orton Undisputed WWE Championship match is expected to main event night one of WrestleMania 42 on Saturday, April 18. That should be confirmed tomorrow morning when the cards for both nights are revealed on ESPN’s Get Up.
In the United States, WrestleMania 42 will be broadcast live on the ESPN Unlimited app. The first hour of each night will also air on ESPN’s TV channel. In international markets, the show will stream live on Netflix.
Dave Meltzer and I are back with our Friday edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, talking about all the big news from today’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
John LaRocca and I are back to talk about the major topics in the world of wrestling on this week’s Fight Game Podcast. You can also watch this show on video below as it was livestreamed to our YouTube channel.
We kicked off the show by giving out our Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down winners and losers of the week before going into our Top Five topics which included:
The best and worst of WWE WrestleMania 41
The Rock on The Pat McAfee Show
AEW Dynamite recap
NXT Stand & Deliver and their show from Tuesday
The last two Dark Side of the Ring episodes on Tony Atlas and “Superstar” Billy Graham
Despite being a major part of the WrestleMania storyline between Cody Rhodes and John Cena, ultimately The Rock did not appear during WrestleMania weekend. His last appearance was with Travis Scott when Cena turned on Rhodes at Elimination Chamber earlier this year. Since then, Rock has disappeared from television, with Cena and Rhodes de-emphasizing Rock’s involvment heading into their WrestleMania 41 main event.
During WrestleMania Sunday, Scott came out and attempted to interfere in the match. However, Rhodes laid out Scott with the Crossrhodes. Cena then attempted to strike Rhodes with the WWE title. A struggle ensued and Rhodes hesitated enough for Cena to low blow and defeat Rhodes to win his record-breaking seventeenth World Championship.
The Rock also caused a stir recently after posting a picture of himself on Instagram attempting to solve a rubix cube while wearing a New Japan Pro Wrestling t-shirt.
Former WWE SmackDown color commentator Pat McAfee is taking his popular daily show to ESPN.
First announced by the New York Post Tuesday, McAfee has signed a multi-million dollar, multi-year agreement that is believed to be bringing him more than eight figures per year.
As a result, he will leave behind a four-year, $120 million contract with Fanduel of which he is in the second year. He had already been doing work with ESPN on College GameDay and alternative college football commentary work via Peyton Manning’s production company.
The 36-year-old appeared at the Disney upfront Tuesday to confirm the news, seen below.
Pat McAfee says The Rock gave him permission to use his famous catchphrase on SmackDown.
McAfee challenged Happy Corbin to a match at SummerSlam on the June 24 edition of the show. During the segment, he used a line that was a frequent part of The Rock’s promos.
“When I get to put on the headset and talk into the microphone for the millions…,” McAfee said before allowing the live crowd to add, “and millions!”
McAfee addressed getting The Rock’s approval to use the line during an episode of The Pat McAfee Show on Monday.
“In the wrestling world, when you say somebody else’s catchphrase, it’s kind of, you know, a thing,” he said. “Also, don’t want to go too in the weeds here but did get permission beforehand from Dwayne Johnson to be able to say it.”
McAfee continued to say he had actually gotten The Rock’s permission to use the line during his angle with Austin Theory.
“If you do recall, in my last program, Austin Theory, when I was allowed to speak into the mic, I was in the middle of doing it and then I got interrupted. That was around the time when I originally got the okay to say it. That was in Miami, I think that night actually, so it would’ve went bananas.”
“I’m very, very, very grateful and thankful for The Rock and I appreciate the hell out of him on the back side of it saying ‘hey, pretty good usage of it,” McAfee continued. “I’m very, very thankful for The Rock.”
“That’s huge in the wrestling world. He’s the guy on the microphone.”
In front of the MILLIONS…. AAAAAND MILLIONS….
“BUM ASS CORBIN” That’s good shit brother! 👏🏾👏🏾👊🏾 Great promo. Enjoyed watching this #ISmellIt 🎤
Vince McMahon took part in what was promoted as his first live interview in 15 years when he appeared on the Pat McAfee Show on Thursday.
Here are some notes from the nearly hour-and-a-half long interview:
– McAfee asked McMahon if he ever envisioned being where he is today. McMahon responded that he “doesn’t believe in ceilings” and enjoys working toward milestones. He didn’t envision being where he is today — but he “didn’t not” envision it either.
– When asked about the launch of the WWE Network in 2014, McMahon mentioned they had a great deal lined up with Comcast but it limited them in terms of ownership and creative control. Doing the WWE Network themselves was all about controlling their own destiny.
– McMahon said he doesn’t listen to praise or negative feedback. He’s not about getting patted on the back or getting a thank you. He said if you listen to the positive feedback, then you have to listen to the negative and he doesn’t want to do that. He continued to say you can’t change what the media is going to say about you. McMahon said “you just can’t care” about people who say negative things about you.
Do you hear the noise??
"Nope because if you listen to the positives you have to listen to the negatives.. if people think you're an asshole you can't change that" ~@VinceMcMahon#PMSLivepic.twitter.com/i5gUrDXwKJ
– Regarding using the term “sports entertainment,” McMahon said he wanted to separate his company from everybody else. He compared it to his dad establishing his own branding separate from the NWA. McMahon joked that if his father knew what he was going to do with the company, he never would have sold it to him.
– McMahon announced that he will personally induct The Undertaker into the WWE Hall of Fame. He referred to it as one of the most difficult things he’ll ever have to do because he loves The Undertaker and they’ve had such a long relationship. McMahon called Undertaker an extraordinary human being and said Undertaker and him never had one conversation about Undertaker going to WCW.
– McAfee brought up the Monday Night Wars and AEW when asking McMahon about competition. McMahon said he enjoys confrontation. He doesn’t fear it because he learned a long time ago that if you live through a beating, then you’re the winner.
I’m probably one of the few people in the world who enjoys confrontation. I enjoy confrontation, it’s one of the things that really revs you up and one of the things that really puts you on your toes.
"I'm probably one of the few people in the world who enjoys confrontation.. I learned as a kid that if I live thru that beaten I win & I'm just wired differently"@VinceMcMahon chatting about the Monday Night Wars #PMSLivepic.twitter.com/KhLgpXFB8v
– Regarding the notion of success, McMahon said he doesn’t know how much money he has in the bank and he doesn’t care. He loves what he does and doesn’t consider it work. McMahon loves the people he does business with and the people within the organization.
– McMahon said he is always concerned about what’s best for business. If the audience wants a performer to come back, he would bring them back. McMahon said that’s why he brought back Hulk Hogan and other wrestlers who left him previously. McMahon said it’s not about ego, it’s about what’s best for business and the audience.
– The topic of WWE’s releases came up. McAfee spoke about seeing guys get cut in the NFL. McMahon said that taking the company public helped him be a better businessman. Prior to that, he was making decisions with his heart — but when you are responsible to stockholders, you have to make decisions based on what’s best for business.
Once I took the company public, it helped me be a better businessman. Because prior to that, I was running the business with my head but mostly with my heart as well and these decisions are so damn tough when you do that.
Once you are a public company, now you owe stockholders.
– When asked about a favorite WWE moment, McMahon mentioned WrestleMania I. He put all of his money into it and there was so much riding on its success.
– McMahon was asked about Saudi Arabia. McMahon said that Saudi fans are no different than any other WWE fans. WWE has had a presence over there for years. He said Western culture is loved all over the world and WWE fits in everywhere.
People love Western culture all over the world, they don’t love our government, but they love Western culture and our form of entertainment with WWE fits in with everything.
– Working out is McMahon’s only socially acceptable outlet for aggression. He does it for his head more than he does it for his body. It helps him handle the workload in his life.
– McMahon said he loves branding and marketing when talking about the use of “stupendous” for WrestleMania this year. He said it’s not a word you hear very much and it sounds good.
– McMahon talked about how performers in WWE learn how to treat people because they have to work with each other to both entertain and be safe.
– McAfee asked McMahon if he is going to live forever. McMahon mentioned that his mother was 101 when she passed away and that’s the benchmark. If he gets hit by a bus tomorrow, McMahon just hopes he has one moment to thank everyone.
– McMahon doesn’t think about what will happen with WWE after he’s gone. He said it doesn’t matter if a family member or a non-family member takes the company. You have to be objective and look at family just like other employees.
– McMahon said he knows McAfee loves WWE. McMahon praised McAfee and then offered him a chance to wrestle at WrestleMania. McMahon said he’d find a worthy opponent for McAfee.
"I'd like to offer you the opportunity to wrestle at WrestleMania" ~@VinceMcMahon
– The reason McMahon calls wrestlers “Superstars” is because anyone can wrestle and he thinks WWE Superstar sounds better than being a professional wrestler.
– McMahon mentioned it’s important for a performer’s mental health to not be their character outside of the ring.
– McMahon said he was determined to never miss a show when COVID hit. The ThunderDome era took away the live focus group which would tell them if something was working or not. While speaking about getting feedback online, McMahon said that he knows a portion of the online audience is biased and he doesn’t listen to that feedback.
Sometimes the internet audience, a portion of it, can be relatively biased, a bit harsh, so I don’t listen to any of those, none of them.
– McMahon said he tries to give performers creative input because it’s important for them, but he needs to lead the creative process. Also noted that you can’t dictate to the audience what they are going to like.
– Speaking of Brock Lesnar, McMahon said he is an extraordinary human being. He continued to praise Lesnar for being intelligent.
– McAfee and McMahon spoke about the Attitude Era, and McMahon said it was really fun. It was the Wild West back then and they just ran with it.
– McMahon told a story about how he wasn’t going to graduate college because his grades weren’t good enough. He found out where his professors lived and visited their homes asking to have his grades bumped up from a B+ to an A-. One professor got really confrontational with him for doing so but ultimately changed his grade.
– McMahon said he related to Steve Austin because he grew up hating the boss and being the underdog.
– McMahon was asked about tearing both of his quads at Royal Rumble 2005. He said it takes talent to sever two tendons at the same time. Mentioned he had to learn to walk all over again. McMahon noted that he’s had neck surgery, tricep surgery, and back surgery. He said that the injuries were from a combination of things.
– McAfee called McMahon a good guy. They spoke briefly about when McAfee wore shorts to WrestleMania one year. Then they wrapped up their conversation and the show ended.
Though his opponent hasn’t been announced, Pat McAfee is officially returning to the ring at WrestleMania 38.
While appearing as a guest on McAfee’s radio show on Thursday, Vince McMahon offered McAfee the opportunity to wrestle at WrestleMania 38. McAfee said it would be a dream and accepted the offer.
McMahon said he’ll find a “worthy opponent” for McAfee.
"I'd like to offer you the opportunity to wrestle at WrestleMania" ~@VinceMcMahon
Dave Meltzer reported last Saturday that a match between McAfee and Vince McMahon was listed on WWE’s internal schedule for WrestleMania 38. There wasn’t any hostility between McAfee and McMahon during their interview today, and there wasn’t the start of an angle to build to a match between the two.
There was a segment on this Monday’s Raw where Austin Theory wanted to come to the Pat McAfee Show with McMahon so that he could be there in case anything went wrong. Theory didn’t end up appearing with McMahon during the interview.
This will be McAfee’s first main roster WWE match. He previously wrestled twice for NXT, facing Adam Cole in a singles match and also taking part in a WarGames match.
After retiring from the NFL in 2017, McAfee started a new career as a sports media personality. He first worked for WWE as a panelist for NXT TakeOver pre-shows.
McAfee joined the SmackDown commentary team in April 2021. He calls the show alongside Michael Cole.
AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas is hosting WrestleMania 38 on Saturday, April 2 and Sunday, April 3. Here’s the updated lineup for the show:
Night one (Saturday, April 2) —
SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair defends against Ronda Rousey
Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch defends against Bianca Belair
Rey & Dominik Mysterio vs. The Miz & Logan Paul
Drew McIntyre vs. Happy Corbin
Night two (Sunday, April 3) —
Winner-take-all championship unification match: WWE Champion Brock Lesnar vs. Universal Champion Roman Reigns
Night to be determined —
AJ Styles vs. Edge
WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Carmella & Zelina Vega defend against Sasha Banks & Naomi
The appearance will mark the most high-profile live interview with McMahon since the December 2014 Stone Cold Podcast episode on WWE Network. That appearance led to McMahon publicly responding to CM Punk’s recounting of the series of events leading up to, then following his WWE departure in 2014, including Punk receiving his WWE termination papers on his wedding day.
In the 2014 interview with Austin, McMahon also spoke of his perception of the WWE roster lacking the ambition that previous generations did, invoking his infamous “brass ring” comment that has been lampooned by multiplecompanies since, and gave his thoughts on Cesaro’s potential as a main event star.
A WWE color commentator, McAfee has scored a number of WWE guests of late, including Brock Lesnar, Seth Rollins, and lead play-by-play voice Michael Cole.
