# Pat McAfee vs. Austin Theory | Pat McAfee vs. Mr. McMahon - WrestleMania



## Clique

_Pat McAfee will return to the squared circle at WrestleMania against a dangerous Superstar lookin to prove himself to Mr. McMahon, Austin Theory!

During his first live interview in 15 years on “The Pat McAfee Show,” WWE Chairman Mr. McMahon personally invited McAfee to compete at The Showcase of the Immortals, responding to the former NFL player's tremendous connection to the WWE Universe. 

McAfee first left his mark in a WWE ring when he made a series of memorable appearances in NXT. This included his fearless showing inside the unforgiving double steel structure of NXT TakeOver WarGames 2020. Since putting his gear on the shelves, the outspoken personality has endeared himself to fans as the color commentator on Friday Night SmackDown.

McAfee did not have to wait long to find out his opponent. Just one night after Mr. McMahon’s offer was extended, Austin Theory emerged to belittle the SmackDown commentator. After claiming that the WWE Chairman was simply setting up McAfee to get beat up at The Show of Shows, Theory informed him that he was his WrestleMania opponent. He then promised to beat McAfee to a pulp and slapped the headset right off his head.

Don't miss all the action of the stupendous two-night WrestleMania, streaming LIVE on Saturday, April 2, and Sunday, April 3, at 8 ET/5 PT on Peacock in the United States and on WWE Network everywhere else. _


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## peowulf

Unlike the Jackass bullshit, this is fine. Sure beats the "rumored" McAfee vs Vince match.


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## The Quintessential Mark

Theory will no doubt go over here then maybe focus on pushing him as a Titleholder once WM season is finished.


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## PhenomenalOne11

Should be a fun match, both men deserve it.



peowulf said:


> Unlike the Jackass bullshit, this is fine. Sure beats the "rumored" McAfee vs Vince match.


That was never going to happen though was it? Let's be real, it was Meltzer talking out of his arse.


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## haribo

PhenomenalOne11 said:


> That was never going to happen though was it? Let's be real, it was Meltzer talking out of his arse.


Meltzer did say there would be a lot of smoke & mirrors..and I don't think he meant Cody. I assume he meant promote it as Vince vs McAfee but have Theory do 90% of the work.


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## Freelancer

This isn't a surprise at all. There's no way Vince was going out there at his age. That being said though, I would much rather see Vince out there than Theory. I mean he's decent but I don't see what the big deal about him is.


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## Reservoir Angel

I'd hoped for a bigger deal match for Austin Theory to be honest. Kind of disappointed. At least he's most likely going to win, I can't imagine they'd derail his push just to put a fucking member of the commentary team over.


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## wwetna1

Reservoir Angel said:


> I'd hoped for a bigger deal match for Austin Theory to be honest. Kind of disappointed. At least he's most likely going to win, I can't imagine they'd derail his push just to put a fucking member of the commentary team over.


Yeahs it’s two birds with one stone. Theory gets to go over on mania in a big match with media coverage because of who Pat is and how he promotes things. Pat gets to have a mania moment, fun, and in the wwe eyes they can open the door to use him like Lawler for a couple of matches throughout the years


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## Garmonbozia

I want Pat McAfee to win this one.


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## peowulf

PhenomenalOne11 said:


> Should be a fun match, both men deserve it.
> 
> 
> That was never going to happen though was it? Let's be real, it was Meltzer talking out of his arse.


Yup, that's why i put rumored in quotes. Also agreed, this is going to be fun for sure.


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## Reservoir Angel

I really hope Theory wins this one and does so convincingly because sweet fucking lord I can't fucking stand Pat McAfee and desperately want to see him get the shit kicked out of him on a big stage.

God knows he should win, I hope WWE isn't stupid enough to potentially derail the forward momentum of one of their best young talents by having him job out to a fucking commentator in his first WrestleMania singles match.


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## Blonde

Pat McAfee should main event. He's the biggest star on the show. Vince should convince him to wrestle fulltime and then do Pat vs. Gronk.


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## Goku

Who in blue hell??


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## Reservoir Angel

The way they keep involving Theory and Balor with each other makes me believe that Theory's next step is going to be a United States Championship reign... but the build for this match is really making it seem like McAfee has to win to get the appropriate payoff, which would kind of make no sense if they're building Theory for a future championship victory over Balor.

I just really want to see McAfee get the shit beat out of him and lose decisively.


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## Mr.Z

WTF


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## Piers

Theory losing is the stupidest booking decision in this PPV.


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## Put the belt on Sandow

Hated McAfee until last night. That visual of him lying on his back, stunned, pouring beer down his neck was priceless 🤣🤣🤣. He done a great job, another guy who gets the business and crosses over well. 

Theory was protected well in defeat imo. He’ll be just fine.


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## RogueSlayer

Give me Pat McAfee vs Sami Zayn next


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## Reservoir Angel

Always good to see WWE throw a hot promising young talent under the bus for the sake of a nostalgia pop for the old guys. Love it.

Fucking hell.

The thing about this is I don't even mind the Mr McMahon/Austin stuff. But they could have still done that after Theory won. It could have been Theory won, then McAfee got pissed and challenged Vince and then all this happened.

But no, they had to give the fucking colour commentator a pointless victory. Moronic bitches.


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## Kalashnikov

Just to start off, I think McAfee is way more interesting and a better talent than Austin Theory. That being said, Theory is supposed to be a long term future investment, why the fuck you put a non-wrestler McAfee over him, just to then feed Pat to McMahon, who then gets shit on by Stone Cold? The history books will forever show McMahon > McAfee > Theory, and ALL of the heat ended up with Stone Cold for some reason. Why exactly couldn't they have done it in a way where Theory wins after cheating (if he must), they continue fucking with McAfee, and then Austin comes in for the save?


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## Reservoir Angel

Kalashnikov said:


> Just to start off, I think McAfee is way more interesting and a better talent than Austin Theory. That being said, Theory is supposed to be a long term future investment, why the fuck you put a non-wrestler McAfee over him, just to then feed Pat to McMahon, who then gets shit on by Stone Cold? The history books will forever show McMahon > McAfee > Theory, and ALL of the heat ended up with Stone Cold for some reason. Why exactly couldn't they have done it in a way where Theory wins after cheating (if he must), they continue fucking with McAfee, and then Austin comes in for the save?


I feel like someone looked at the card and went "fuck, pretty much every match ends exactly the way everyone is expecting it to, we need to put a force a couple of swerves!" and then realised this match and the New Day match were the only ones with fuck all reason to exist and just decided to make the results of them swerves for no reason and to no greater purpose whatsoever.


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## Dizzie

Saw the highlights and vince looked bad physically and wrestled like the male equivalent of mea young when she use show up around the attitude era, it was not a great sight.


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## Put the belt on Sandow

I think a lot of folk are overthinking this. It was always a gimmick match so there was always going to be a gimmick ending and gimmick post match. No harm done at all. 

Folk moaning about Theory being thrown under a bus. FFS, the lad was chasing R-Truth around for the 24/7 title 6 months ago and last night he was in the semi main event spot of Wrestlemania!!! He’ll be more than fine.


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## GohanX

For a guy who isn't a full time wrestler, that sequence of McAfee backflipping off the top rope, then leaping back up and nailing Theory was pretty impressive. This match was more fun than it had any right to be. The aftermath, not so much, although I love Theory selling the stunner.


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## InexorableJourney

The match was fine, the leap was stupendous.

Pat doesn't do anything for me, he just seems like a diet Roddy Piper, with the alcohol removed.
But he had the crowd on their feet, and that is impressive.

The Vince match _and _the Austin finish were great, it was also a great stunner to Vince because it made me laugh and I couldn't ask for more than that. So well done.


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