Pat McAfee’s return to SmackDown on April 3 generated a mixed internal reaction within WWE and helped the show record one of its lowest-ranked episodes in its history, according to Cagematch, with Fightful Select’s Sean Ross Sapp reporting that the comeback was motivated by corporate synergy between WWE and ESPN rather than creative direction.
According to Fightful Select, McAfee’s return was designed to boost interest in SmackDown and to serve the broader relationship between WWE and ESPN. However, the execution drew criticism internally, with several people who were not in favor of the direction McAfee’s promo took, specifically the this place sucks angle, feeling that such approaches rarely work in professional wrestling.
The internal reaction to the return was described as mixed, with WWE fully aware of the negative online response. Some within the company suggested the reaction constituted useful heat, while others argued it was not the kind of heat WWE needed heading into WrestleMania. WWE sources also confirmed to Fightful Select that McAfee is factored into upcoming programming through WrestleMania 42.
PWInsider reported moments after the segment aired that the decision was an Ari Emanuel call, with the TKO CEO having been high on McAfee and the broader entertainment-crossover space. The report created speculation that Triple H was no longer driving creative, though Fightful Select clarified that is not the case and that the Hall of Famer remains in charge of week-to-week creative and the vast majority of the program.
BodySlam.net separately reported that Rhodes’ impromptu promo later in the same episode was instructed to be a shoot-and-deliver-from-the-hip, reflecting genuine backstage frustration with TKO’s involvement in the storyline. WrestleMania 42 takes place April 18 and 19 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.
This is just a snippet of the story. For complete details, please visit Fightful Select at Patreon.com/Fightful.
