Pat McAfee's WrestleMania 38 opponent has been confirmed
Pat McAfee was gifted the opportunity of a lifetime by WWE Chairman and founder Vince McMahon on the Pat McAfee Show Thursday. The former Indianapolis Colts punter was given a match on WWE's grandest stage, WrestleMania.
However, McMahon never specified who his opponent would be. The wait for McAfee's opponent lasted a mere 24 hours as his challenger emerged on Friday Night SmackDown.
As McAfee was at his desk performing his commentary duties, Austin Theory revealed that he'll fight McAfee at WWE's most famous event.
Theory had harsh words for McAfee, as the young hotshot appeared supremely confident in his abilities. Things got physical when Theory slapped McAfee with authority, causing the latter to be fuming as he attempted to return to his job.
"I'm your opponent at #WrestleMania!" - Austin Theory to Pat McAfee
@PatMcAfeeShow | @austintheory1| #SmackDown https://t.co/F8FGAXdoGT
Pat McAfee will bring star power to WrestleMania. His show has guests like Aaron Rodgers, who make regular appearances to draw attention to the program. That and his job as a SmackDown announcer for the last 11 months have exposed him to a wider audience.
We've seen McAfee hang in the ring before in two matches with WWE's NXT brand. He had two of the most critically acclaimed matches for an untrained full-time wrestler in history in 2020.
Theory is the lesser-known of the two, which explains why he's fighting someone like Pat McAfee.
Who is Pat McAfee's WrestleMania opponent, Austin Theory?
Theory is one of WWE's brightest up-and-coming stars that they hope to build their future around. At just 24-years-old, Theory is still learning the tricks of the industry. However, he's further along than most of his peers in his development and completes like a seasoned veteran.
McMahon has taken an interest in Theory's development and has taken him under his wing the last couple of months during Monday Night Raw. Theory and McMahon spoke before the latter's appearance on McAfee's show recently, with Theory telling the boss to be careful.
Vince McMahon and Austin Theory talking about Vince’s appearance on the Pat McAfee Show on Thursday.
After this, I totally think it’ll be Austin Theory vs Pat McAfee at Wrestlemania.
But, you never know… #WWERAW https://t.co/hHT6W8VcEh
With the charisma and promo cutting ability McAfee possesses, the buildup for him and Theory's match is bound to be fascinating. Theory brings excellent technical skills to the ring, while McAfee is more high-flying and reliant on his athleticism.
The pair makes for a clash of styles that has the potential to be a show-stealing match at AT&T Stadium.