WWE
Pat McAfee may be best known for his work on ESPN, but the premiere episode of WWE: Unreal Season 2 spotlighted his surprisingly gritty in-ring performance against Gunther at Backlash 2025. The match came at a volatile time for “The Ring General,” who was fresh off losing his World Heavyweight Championship to Jey Uso at WrestleMania 41 and was looking to take out his frustrations on the commentator.
“Green as S***” But Proud
In the documentary, McAfee was candid about his limitations in the ring compared to a technician like Gunther, but expressed immense pride in the moment.
“I am green as s*** in that business. That’s why you’ll never hear me say, like, ‘Yeah I was good in there.’ But you will definitely hear me say, ‘I’m f****** proud’. I don’t know how many more matches I’m ever gonna have, so I try to just take like, one Polaroid basically.”
High Praise from Triple H and John Cena
The episode also featured high praise from WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H, who argued that McAfee’s mainstream appeal makes him “the face of the WWE to a lot of people” who follow the NFL or ESPN. Additionally, McAfee recalled an emotional backstage interaction with John Cena immediately after the match.
“A little bit emotional, I was in a whirlwind. I get to the back, and John Cena was talking to me. He’s an actual GOAT talking to me and complimenting me.”
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