Pat McAfee’s Involvement At WrestleMania Made To Boost Interest And ‘Corporate Synergy’ Between WWE And ESPN
More details on Pat McAfee’s return last night on WWE SmackDown.
On the 4/3 edition of SmackDown, Pat McAfee made a surprise return during the opening segment of the show between Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes. McAfee lowblowed The American Nightmare and aligned himself with Orton.
It was revealed that he was the mystery man Orton had been talking to over the past few weeks. Pat McAfee’s return received criticism from fans online, and internal reaction within WWE was also mixed. Fans can read more about it here.
The move to feature Pat McAfee on WrestleMania was made in an effort to boost interest in the show, and for "corporate synergy" between WWE and ESPN, @FightfulSelect has learned.
A LOT more details now available for select subscribers. pic.twitter.com/i4RJaiK3Cj
— Fightful Wrestling (@Fightful) April 4, 2026
Fightful Select now reports that “the move to feature Pat McAfee on WrestleMania was made in an effort to boost interest in the show, and for ‘corporate synergy’ between WWE and ESPN.” More details are available for subscribers at FightfulSelect.com.
McAfee has already claimed that if Randy Orton loses to Cody Rhodes during their Undisputed WWE Championship bout at WrestleMania 42, he won’t appear on wrestling television again.
