Pat McAfee is one of the rare broadcasters in WWE history who didn’t just talk about professional wrestling from the announce desk—he stepped into the ring and proved himself. He trained as a wrestler, put his body on the line, and built an impressive in-ring résumé while also working as a full-time WWE commentator and hosting his daily ESPN show. Before any of that, McAfee was an NFL punter for the Indianapolis Colts, earned two Pro Bowl selections, and has often said that becoming a professional wrestler had been his dream since childhood.
Now, let’s take a look at every WWE match of Pat McAfee’s career in chronological order and explore what each one meant for his WWE journey and the stories he was part of.
NXT TakeOver XXX (August 22, 2020) — Lost to Adam Cole
This was Pat McAfee’s official in-ring debut, and it was far more than a one-off celebrity match. The bout was built around a genuine rivalry. McAfee had been appearing as a guest commentator on NXT since 2018, and he officially signed with WWE in February 2019. The tension between him and Adam Cole escalated after a heated confrontation on The Pat McAfee Show, and over the following weeks, McAfee embraced a heel persona, setting the stage for their match.
Although Adam Cole won the match, the result wasn’t the real story. Long before joining WWE, McAfee had already begun training as a wrestler. While still playing in the NFL, he bought his own wrestling ring, set it up in a barn, and spent months training privately with veteran coach Rip Rogers. That preparation was evident once the match began. His impressive performance against one of WWE’s most technically gifted wrestlers, Adam Cole, proved to many skeptics that he was far more than just a celebrity attraction.
NXT TakeOver: WarGames (December 6, 2020) — Team McAfee lost to The Undisputed Era
In only the second match of his professional wrestling career, Pat McAfee found himself in the main event of WarGames. He teamed with Pete Dunne, Danny Burch, and Oney Lorcan to face Adam Cole, Kyle O’Reilly, Roderick Strong, and Bobby Fish of The Undisputed Era. By that point, the rivalry had become deeply personal. Weeks earlier, McAfee had paid Ridge Holland to attack Adam Cole and later interfered to help Burch and Lorcan win the NXT Tag Team Championship, giving The Undisputed Era every reason to seek revenge inside the cage.
Once the match began, McAfee showed he wasn’t there to play it safe. He brought four tables into the steel cage, each labeled with the name of a member of The Undisputed Era. During the match, he hit an impressive moonsault on Roderick Strong, sending him crashing through one of the tables. Later, McAfee climbed to the top of the steel structure and delivered a spectacular flying senton, taking out all seven of the other wrestlers below him. Attempting such a dangerous stunt in only his second professional match was remarkable.
Amid the chaos, McAfee even locked Adam Cole in a Figure Four Leglock. However, Cole eventually threw him across the ring and through another table, resulting in a brutal bump. In the end, The Undisputed Era won the match when Kyle O’Reilly pinned Oney Lorcan. Despite the loss, Pat McAfee’s performance was widely considered the standout of the night. Wrestling media praised him extensively, with several outlets saying he had proven he was far more than just a celebrity commentator or mouthpiece—he was a legitimate in-ring performer.
WrestleMania 38 (April 3, 2022) — Defeated Austin Theory, then lost to Vince McMahon
This is the match that most fans remember, and it came with a personal history behind it. Three years earlier, at WrestleMania 35, Pat McAfee had nearly walked away from WWE after Michael Cole publicly criticized his choice of outfit during the pre-show. Vince McMahon stepped in to smooth things over, and by 2022, he and McAfee had developed a unique working relationship. For this match, Vince McMahon personally chose Austin Theory as McAfee’s opponent. Before the bell even rang, Vince introduced Theory at ringside as the future Universal Champion, trying to get under McAfee’s skin.
The match itself was highly competitive, with both men pushing each other to the limit. McAfee attempted a Swanton Bomb, but missed the move. He later delivered a huge supeplex from the top rope, a moment that had the crowd inside AT&T Stadium fully behind him. Later in the match, Austin Theory went for his finishing move, A-Town Down, but McAfee countered it into a crucifix pin, shocking everyone by picking up the victory.
However, the story didn’t end there. Immediately after the match, Vince McMahon took off his jacket and challenged McAfee to an impromptu match. With help from Austin Theory—including crotching McAfee on the ring post and setting him up for a football punt to the ribs—Vince defeated McAfee, earning his first-ever WrestleMania victory.
Moments later, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin made a surprise appearance. He hit Austin Theory with a Stunner, then gave one to Vince McMahon as well. Austin even invited McAfee into the ring for a celebratory beer, only to surprise him with a Stunner of his own. The segment became one of the most entertaining, chaotic, and talked-about moments of the entire WrestleMania weekend.
Pat McAfee vs. Baron Corbin (SummerSlam 2022)
At SummerSlam 2022, Pat McAfee faced Baron Corbin after weeks of tension between the two. The rivalry began when Corbin repeatedly mocked McAfee’s commentary and personality. In the match, McAfee showcased his impressive athleticism and defeated Corbin, earning a huge reaction from the crowd. The victory is widely considered one of the most memorable wins of his WWE career.
Pat McAfee vs. The Miz (WrestleMania 39)
At WrestleMania 39, despite being there as a commentator, Pat McAfee unexpectedly accepted The Miz’s challenge and stepped into the ring. With assistance from San Francisco 49ers star George Kittle, McAfee defeated The Miz to earn another WrestleMania victory. Although the match was brief, its surprise factor and strong crowd reaction made it one of the most entertaining moments of the event.
Royal Rumble 2024 (January 27, 2024) — Entered the men’s Royal Rumble match at #22
Pat McAfee wasn’t supposed to wrestle that night at all. He had returned to WWE after a lengthy absence simply to join Michael Cole and Corey Graves on commentary. According to McAfee, no one told him in advance that he would also be entering the Royal Rumble Match.
McAfee entered at number 22, wearing his signature cowboy boots. However, once he got into the ring, he found himself face-to-face with the 7-foot-3 Omos and the dangerous Bron Breakker. Realizing almost immediately that this was not a fight worth taking, he eliminated himself within seconds rather than risk getting seriously beaten in a match he had never planned to compete in.
Later, McAfee joked on his own show that if he had somehow gone on to win the Royal Rumble, it would have been “the rudest thing of all time.” He also admitted that he didn’t recognize several of the entrants that night, including TNA’s Jordynne Grace.
However, the appearance wasn’t just played for laughs. It also served a much bigger purpose. The Royal Rumble marked the beginning of Pat McAfee’s permanent return to the WWE Raw commentary team. According to reports, Michael Cole had even said that he didn’t want to fully retire from commentary without McAfee by his side.
Backlash 2025 (May 10, 2025) — Lost to Gunther
This rivalry wasn’t built around a forced storyline—it began with a genuine grudge. After Gunther lost the World Heavyweight Championship to Jey Uso at WrestleMania 41, he went on a rampage during the following episode of Raw. He attacked both Pat McAfee and Michael Cole, accusing them of favoring Jey Uso with their commentary during the championship match.
When Gunther targeted Michael Cole, McAfee stepped in to protect his broadcast partner. He paid a heavy price for it, as Gunther choked him unconscious in front of the live crowd. The attack was so severe that Raw General Manager Adam Pearce later suspended Gunther indefinitely. The backstage tension eventually led to an official singles match at Backlash in St. Louis. It was Pat McAfee’s first singles match since WrestleMania 39.
During the match, McAfee stood toe-to-toe with Gunther and exchanged hard-hitting strikes throughout the contest. At one point, he even escaped one of Gunther’s submission holds, drawing the loudest reaction of the night from the crowd.
In the end, Gunther’s experience proved to be the difference. He locked in a devastating chokehold and forced McAfee to lose the match. Despite the defeat, McAfee received a standing ovation from the audience as he left the ring. The most memorable moment came afterward when Gunther gave McAfee a respectful nod on camera—a rare sign of respect from a wrestler known for his cold, stone-faced demeanor.
What happened after Backlash 2025
In the middle of 2025, Pat McAfee stepped away from his full-time WWE commentary role for several months. He explained that balancing his daily ESPN show with WWE’s demanding schedule had left him physically and mentally exhausted. As a result, he decided to take a break from commentary.
McAfee returned as a commentator at Wrestlepalooza in September 2025. Following his return, his in-ring activity remained relatively quiet for a while, as he focused primarily on his commentary duties.
The 2026 storyline that never became a match
In April 2026, Pat McAfee returned to WWE television in a completely different role. He appeared on SmackDown and aligned himself with Randy Orton, revealing that he had been the mystery caller behind Orton’s phone calls during the buildup to WrestleMania 42.
According to reports at the time, TKO CEO Ari Emanuel, who also serves as McAfee’s agent, played a direct role in getting him involved in the storyline. However, the angle received a largely negative reaction from fans. Many questioned why a broadcaster was being inserted into a serious championship feud between Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes. Reports also claimed that Cody Rhodes and CM Punk expressed their frustration with the storyline backstage.
According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE originally planned for Pat McAfee and Randy Orton to team up against Cody Rhodes and singer Jelly Roll at Backlash 2026 in Tampa. However, after Cody Rhodes won the championship at WrestleMania 42, McAfee said on his own show that the wrestling business had “passed him by.” According to Dave Meltzer, McAfee genuinely requested to step away from the storyline.
As a result, WWE canceled the planned tag team match for Backlash 2026, and since then, Pat McAfee has not competed in another WWE match.
Gaurav Sharma
Founder & Lead Writer, Wrestling Nightmare
I’ve been hooked on wrestling since childhood—from the Attitude Era to today’s Bloodline saga, plus AEW and TNA. My favorite match of all time is The Rock vs. Brock Lesnar (SummerSlam 2002), and I’ll always stand by Bray Wyatt’s untapped potential.
At Wrestling Nightmare, I break down news, analyze matches, and drop verified recaps. Got a correction or wanna debate? Hit me up at contact@wrestlingnightmare.com
