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Some goodbyes are hard. Pat McAfee’s sudden hiatus from the WWE is one such moment for wrestling enthusiasts. From humble beginnings as an Nxt superstar to being a familiar voice for WWE fans on the commentary desk, Pat McAfee has had a long and fruitful journey in the company, until it proved just too much for him.

Relentless premium live events and continuous bookings took a toll on Pat McAfee. His last appearance on WWE programming was during the June 9th edition of Monday Night Raw. Since then, fans have been speculating whether he will return to the WWE in any capacity ever again.

Is Pat McAfee Done With WWE? Pat McAfee with Michael Cole at Monday Night Raw. (Image Credit: WWE)

During a conversation on his Wednesday Show, he accepted the fact that constant WWE events had exhausted him physically and mentally. Pat McAfee shared:

I could just feel it.

From Jim Ross to the legendary Jbl, no one can forget the role of commentators in the WWE; they defined how we perceive wrestling in one form or the other. That baton was carried by Pat McAfee in the modern era.

But recently, the wrestling community was astonished to see his sudden disappearance from WWE’s weekly shows, Raw and SmackDown. This has left fans wondering whether he is planning to quit the company and explore new ventures. The modern-day voice of the company has now provided clarity on why he is out of the WWE for now.

Pat McAfee reveals why he has suddenly disappeared from WWE Pat McAfee performing his commentary duties. (Image Credit: WWE)

After his continued absence from the Red and Blue brands of the WWE, Pat McAfee cleared the air around his employment in the company and the reason behind this hiatus, which appeared sudden to several WWE fans.

Battle lines are drawn, WWE superstars are hell bent to outperform their rivals and secure their rightful place under the sun at the Night of Champions in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The event is significant considering it will mark the culmination of two important WWE storylines. The iconic pay-per-view event will crown the King of the Ring for the year to determine the superstar that will compete for a major world title at SummerSlam. Additionally, the event will also mark a showdown of the historic rivalry between John Cena and Cm Punk.

The high-stakes clash between Cm Punk and John Cena is poised as a clash of ideologies John Cena delivering his version of the pipebomb promo. (Image Credit: WWE)

The hype around Night of Champions 2025 has been building for a while now. After the combined forces of John Cena and Logan Paul were defeated by Jey Uso and Cody Rhodes,...

Money in the Bank 2025 is right around the corner with some intense and breathtaking matches lined up for the professional wrestling community. This will be the second time that the pay-per-view will be held without Vince McMahon, whose constant presence has been a guiding light for the WWE over the years.

This year’s event promises intense showdowns and the climax of major rivalries, potentially shaping the direction of key storylines and laying the groundwork for future conflicts throughout the year. As the WWE Universe anticipates several high-stakes matches, revisiting past iconic moments highlights why Money in the Bank gained such prominence under Vince McMahon’s leadership.

Intense build-ups in major storylines ahead of Money in the Bank 2025 Cody Rhodes and John Cena in the ring ahead of Money in the Bank 2025. (Image Credit: WWE)

A major development before this year’s marquee event is the announcement of John Cena’s retirement tour.

WWE has an array of remarkable talent in its pool of in-ring athletes who put their bodies on the line for the entertainment of fans each week on live television. One of those veterans who is still a part of the active roster and has been captivating the audience with his personality is R-Truth.

The man who says ‘What’s Up’ is a popular and comedic attraction known for his unorthodox antics and fun encounters. Moreover, despite being 53 years old, he is still wrestling in the prime of his career. Interestingly, R-Truth made his debut when some of the WWE superstars of today’s generation were not even born.

3. Thea Hail Thea Hail on WWE Nxt/ Credits: WWE.com

An emerging prospect in WWE Nxt, Thea Hail has become popular for her stint in the Chase University faction. She grew as a competitor under the tutelage of Andre Chase and is...

Without a doubt, John Cena’s historic 17th world title win at WrestleMania 41 has solidified his place as one of the most legendary figures in WWE history. At Backlash 2025, however, he faced a formidable opponent in Randy Orton, an equally accomplished superstar whose in-ring prowess and experience rival Cena’s in every sense.

Billed as a potential showdown between two of WWE’s greatest icons, the match carried a sense of nostalgia and finality. With Cena having already announced his retirement at the end of the year and Orton approaching the twilight of his storied career, this clash of titans felt like the closing chapter of an era, one that defined an entire generation of professional wrestling.

The salary difference between John Cena and Randy Orton Randy Orton making an entrance at Backlash 2025. (Image Credit: WWE)

Even though John Cena and Randy Orton are finely poised, as far as their legacy is concerned,...

WWE Backlash 2025 has wrapped up, and there’s plenty to discuss. This year’s event was packed with thrilling matches, unexpected twists, and surprise appearances, making it one of the most exciting Backlash events ever.

With unpredictable outcomes and shocking moments, the night kept fans on the edge of their seats. Some matches even saw interference from unexpected wrestlers, turning the event into a true spectacle. Let us take a look at some of the biggest winners and losers from WWE Backlash 2025.

WWE Backlash 2025 saw some of the most glorifying wins and embarrassing losses Wrestlers who have picked up the win at WWE Backlash 2025 John Cena addressing the audience | Credits- WWE 5. Gunther

Pat McAfee lost to Gunther, which wasn’t a shock since Gunther was the clear favorite. The match was mostly one-sided, but there were moments when McAfee seemed like he might pull off an upset. Unfortunately, those chances never fully came together,...

Wade Barrett was in the commentary box supporting Pat McAfee during the latter’s match against Gunther at WWE Backlash. While Michael Cole went out to try and help McAfee, Barrett was not too keen to leave the commentary box. This wasn’t the case a long time back, when Barrett would’ve given anything to be inside the ring.

While the wrestler hasn’t announced his official retirement from pro wrestling, he hasn’t wrestled since 2016. Barrett was once seen as a rising star right after his WWE debut in 2010, where he was introduced as the leader of The Nexus. However, things didn’t turn out his way, and John Cena might have played a part in Barrett leaving the ring.

What was John Cena’s role in Wade Barrett leaving the WWE ring? John Cena vs Wade Barrett in a match for the United States Championship | Credits: WWE...

The stars have finally aligned for one of wrestling’s most iconic figures. Cm Punk, a name that needs no introduction, has long proclaimed himself as ‘The Best in the World’, and at WrestleMania 41, he was given the stage to prove it on the grandest platform in WWE.

Punk found himself in the spotlight, competing in the main event of WrestleMania 41 in a high-stakes Triple Threat match against Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins. Though he didn’t walk away with the victory, Punk delivered a performance that reminded the world why he’s regarded as a generational talent.

Cm Punk reveals the significance and reason he loves interacting with fans Cm Punk delivered an emphatic performance at the main event of WrestleMania 41. (Image Credit: WWE)

While Cm Punk may not have dominated the WrestleMania 41 main event in the way he envisioned, he did something that set him apart from many main eventers of the past.

In 2010, WWE announced Nxt season 1 with the hope of producing a superstar. One contender who got a callback for Nxt was later told to change his appearance. WWE bosses thought he looked more like Edge.

Edge was a phenomenon in the early 2010s, and it was almost a copyright move on this Nxt wrestler. The wrestler who got told so was Heath Slater. In a recent podcast, he looked back to his starting days and gave a glimpse of his wrestling career.

Edge currently wrestles as ‘Cope’ in WWE’s rival company, Aew/Credit: X/RatedRCope

Fame, shame & copycat blame: Heath Slater has gone through all in his turbulent wrestling career.

Heath Slater asked to cut his hair short, as WWE thought he looked like Edge

In a recent podcast with McIntosh, Heath Slater opened up about the times he was asked to cut his hair and change his appearance...

WWE 2K25 is finally here, and with it, a long list of collectibles, unlockables and rewards to work your way through in the various modes. If you’re struggling with unlocking all the MyFaction Persona Cards, well, look no further, as the handy guide below will walk you through everything you need to do to unlock each wrestler, and their rating.

WWE 2K25 MyFACTION Persona Cards Get ready to unlock all of the cards in WWE 2K25. Image Credit: 2K.

If you weren’t aware, MyFACTION Persona Cards have been a part of WWE 2K for a while, and they’re a hot property for a lot of gamers. A way of showing off your favorite wrestlers in some unique ways – look no further than the Elite Rock look -, collecting them all can be a difficult (and time-consuming) task. Don’t forget, the cards you unlock in MyFACTION can...

During the WWE Elimination Chamber live event in Canada, a lead-up to April’s WrestleMania, those in attendance booed the U.S. national anthem, much to sports analyst Pat McAfee’s rage.

Sung by Elizabeth Irving, who also performs anthems for the Vancouver Canucks ice hockey team and Vancouver Whitecaps Football Club, the booing reached a particular fever pitch at the song’s crescendo and lyrics of “and the rockets’ red glare.” Throughout the performance, captured and shared on social media, Irving maintained a light smile on her face and continued onward.

McAfee posted a video from the telecast on X showcasing his reaction to the incident: “Kinda sucks that [the event’s] in the terrible country of Canada that booed our national anthem to start this entire thing,” he yelled while getting out of his seat, as co-announcers Michael Cole and Wade Barrett were seen laughing in response.

Held in Toronto, Ontario,...

John Cena is credited to be one of the greatest WWE superstars of all time. He lead the charge of a WWE era much like his iconic predecessors like The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin and Hulk Hogan. In doing so, he became the face of the company and one of the top draws for years to come.

However, the road to Cena’s spectacular success came at the expense of multiple hard-working and talented WWE superstars. The company, in the bid to elevate the 16-time World Champion, sacrificed many talents, with John Cena also playing a role in the process.

WWE superstar John Cena on SmackDown| Credit: X/@johncena

The Face that Runs the Place reportedly used his backstage influence and power to take his career to greater heights and buried the careers of many young talents. Here are those five names whose WWE aspirations were crumbled with the rise of John Cena.

Welcome to this review of this past Monday’s episode of WWE Raw, right here on Nerdly. Let’s see what went down on this week’s show!

Match #1: Sami Zayn def. Ludwig Kaiser The following is courtesy of wwe.com:

Looking to receive a title match against World Heavyweight Champion Gunther, Sami Zayn took on The Ring General’s right-hand man Ludwig Kaiser. Kaiser used the ringside area to his advantage by knocking Zayn off to the top of the barricade into the timekeeper’s area and by dropkicking Zayn directly into the ring steps. Despite the repeated abuse from Kaiser, Zayn hit the Helluva Kick to gain the impressive win. After the match, Gunther once again refused to defend the World Heavyweight Title against Zayn.

My Score: 3.5 out of 5 Match #2: Dragon Lee def. Carlito The following is courtesy of wwe.com:

Looking to finally gain retribution...

The Legend of Vox Machina will continue to be told on Prime Video.

The streamer has released a trailer for Season 3 of the animated fantasy series, which will premiere Wednesday, Oct. 3 and drop three episodes per week for four weeks.

More from TVLineOuter Banks Sets Two-Part Season 4 Release - Watch the Pogues' New Treasure Hunt Get Underway in First TrailerLioness Sets Season 2 Premiere Date, Shares First Look at Genesis Rodriguez's New CharacterTVLine Items: Acapulco Renewed, Joel McHale Joins Yellowjackets and More

“Everything is at stake” in the highly anticipated third season, as the Chroma Conclave’s path of destruction...

WWE is once again shaking up its announce teams for “Raw” and “SmackDown.”

Variety has learned that, beginning in September, “Raw” will be called by Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett, while Michael Cole and Corey Graves will handle the action on “SmackDown.”

It was announced in July that Tessitore would be joining WWE’s commentator lineup. Cole and Tessitore revealed at the recent “SummerSlam” premium live event that Tessitore would begin working on “Raw” on Sept. 2 and that Cole would be moving to “SmackDown.” Barrett and Graves have been the announce team for “SmackDown” since February.

Cole, meanwhile, has been working on “Raw” with Pat McAfee since the beginning of the year, but McAfee is taking time away from WWE to focus on college football coverage with ESPN. He will return in time to call the debut of “Raw” on Netflix with Cole.

Tessitore currently works for ABC and ESPN...

Veterans sportscaster Joe Tessitore is joining WWE’s broadcast team as a play-by-play announcer.

Tessitore is expected to begin in his new role with the sports entertainment giant this summer. He will work alongside the current team of Wade Barrett and Corey Graves, who currently call the action on WWE’s “SmackDown.” Michael Cole and Pat McAfee will remain in their current positions announcing on “Monday Night Raw.”

“Whether it’s a world title fight that’s got the globe buzzing or a college football rivalry that’s grabbed the nation’s attention, Joe’s voice provides that big event feel each time he is behind the microphone,” said WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque. “We’re excited for Joe to join legendary WWE broadcaster Michael Cole and our esteemed announce team, bringing his signature energy and meticulous preparation to our WWE telecasts each week.”

“It’s an...

The WWE has hired another top ESPN personality for its on-air broadcast team.

The wrestling giant — owned by Tko Group Holdings — says that it has hired Joe Tessitore as a play-by-play broadcaster. Tessitore, a long-time ESPN veteran (he will continue to work at the sports TV giant in addition to the WWE), will join the broadcast booth this summer, where he will work alongside analysts Wade Barrett and Corey Graves.

Tessitore is a 22-year veteran of ESPN, where he has been a fixture on its college football coverage. He has also called Monday Night Football games, Pro Bowl and NFL wild card coverage. He is also one of ESPN’s lead boxing announcers.

The veteran sportscaster is the latest example of the WWE moving in a different direction with its broadcasts under the leadership of chief content officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque. While historically WWE announcers were wrestlers or former...

WrestleMania 40 begins Saturday, April 6 at 4 pm Pt/7 pm Et at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. Find out how to stream the live event, get full match-ups, start times and more.

Courtesy of PeacockWatch WWE WrestleMania Xl on Peacock$5.99+ Buy Now

WrestleMania is one of WWE’s biggest wrestling events of the year — and the longest-running. The matches will stream live on Peacock, so if you want to keep up with Cody Rhodes and the rest, you’ll need to sign up for a subscription. Once you subscribe, you can also watch the pre-show analysis featuring Cm Punk, Pat McAfee, Big E,...

WrestleMania, also known as the Showcase of the Immortals, is back for its 40th annual edition as wrestling continues its hottest streak in years. Contributing factors have included Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson making a prolonged comeback, the writing involving the world title reign of his cousin Roman Reigns being strong, plus the rise of second-generation star Cody Rhodes and his quest to “finish the story” by winning the world title at WrestleMania.

Here’s everything you need to know about this year’s show.

What time is it at?

This Saturday and Sunday, April 6 and 7, at 7 p.m. Eastern/4 p.m. Pacific. Each night’s show is expected to last between three and four hours, ending by around 11 p.m. Eastern/8 p.m. Pacific.

Is it on TV or streaming? Where can I watch WrestleMania?

The show streams on Peacock. It will also be available for replay on Peacock following the show,...

Welcome to this review of this past Monday’s episode of WWE Raw, right here on Nerdly… Let’s see what went down on this week’s show!

Match #1: Drew McIntyre def. Jey Uso The following is courtesy of wwe.com:

Following on from their intense war of words, The Scottish Warrior and “Main Event” Jey Uso reignited their rivalry in the ring. As the two battled back-and-forth, the top-rope turnbuckle got dislodged. The Scottish Warrior used this to his advantage, raking the eyes of Uso with the referees back turned. This allowed McIntyre to hit the Claymore, earning the win.

My Score: 3.5 out of 5 Match #2: Rhea Ripley def. Maxxine Dupri The following is courtesy of wwe.com:

Dupri shocked Ripley by hitting with her a hurricanrana, but this only enraged The Nightmare. Ripley soon made quick work of Dupri, hitting the Riptide before locking in the Prism...

Welcome to this review of this past Monday’s episode of WWE Raw, right here on Nerdly… Let’s see what went down on this week’s show!

Match #1: Drew McIntyre def. Sami Zayn The following is courtesy of wwe.com:

With a new aggression and cunning streak, Drew McIntyre battled Sami Zayn in an electric opening contest. Zayn appeared to have suffered an injury after limping gingerly on his leg, and McIntyre relentlessly hit Zayn with spinebusters and powerbombs. With Zayn unable to stand on his injured leg, McIntyre leveled Zayn with a blow to the back of the knee before blasting Zayn with the Claymore to pick up the victory.

My Score: 3.5 out of 5 Match #2: Nia Jax def. Shayna Baszler The following is courtesy of wwe.com:

Nia Jax continued her domination, dismantling Shayna Baszler in a spirited contest. Baszler locked in the Kirifuda Clutch, but...

Welcome to this review of this past Monday’s episode of WWE Raw, right here on Nerdly… Let’s see what went down on this week’s show!

Match #1: No. 1 Contenders Tag Team Turmoil – Winners: The Creed Brothers The following is courtesy of wwe.com:

#DIY def. Alpha Academy – Otis and Akira Tozawa teamed for the first time as Alpha Academy got Tag Team Turmoil underway against Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa. Tozawa and Otis looked great, hitting a tandem Caterpillar before going for a high-risk move. The risk did not pay off, however, as #DIY dispatched Alpha Academy with the Meeting in the Middle.

#DIY def. Indus Sher – Indus Sher emerged next to face #DIY, with Sanga and Veer making an immediate impact by driving Gargano and Ciampa into the ring post. Gargano was able to stun Veer with a rollup to keep rolling in Tag Team Turmoil.

No WWE 2K23 Dlc pack is planned for release in September 2023, signaling the end of post-launch expansions for the game. WWE 2K23 featured five Dlc packs with themed groups of wrestlers, expanding options for the create-a-wrestler mode. The next major WWE game announcement will likely be for WWE 2K24, possibly revealed at next year's Royal Rumble event. Until then, players can still enjoy WWE 2K23's existing features and online multiplayer.

As it stands, there's no WWE 2K23 Dlc pack planned for release in September 2023. There's been no recent news from either the wrestling promotion, developer Visual Concepts, or publisher 2K Sports on the Dlc front. The last release, the Bad News U Pack for WWE 2K23, including wrestlers like Andre Chase, Damon Kemp, Eva Torres, and Wade Barrett, was the last WWE video game-related news to come out from any of the above.

The Bad News U Pack was...

The Bad News U Pack is the fifth Dlc release for WWE 2K23, adding new wrestlers to the game's roster. This Dlc follows a monthly release schedule, continuously expanding the roster and allowing for create-a-wrestler customization. The Bad News U Pack includes five new wrestlers primarily from the Chase University stable, rounding out the roster with a total of 249 playable wrestlers.

The Bad News U Pack brings yet another set of fresh wrestling faces to WWE 2K23. This is the fifth Dlc release coming to 2K23 - each pack has added a hearty crop of new talent to the game, with at least five new wrestlers from across decades of WWE history included in each. The last pack, the Revel with Wyatt Dlc, was the largest, uniquely including a sixth bonus wrestler in line with its Wyatt family theme. For the Bad News U Pack, that number goes down to five.

WWE is once again making changes to its on-air commentary teams, Variety has learned exclusively.

Beginning Aug. 7, Michael Cole and Wade Barrett will serve as the commentators for “Monday Night Raw” on USA Network. This marks a return to “Raw” for Cole, who first appeared on the show in 1997 and has served as one of the key members of the broadcast desk for various stretches of time ever since.

It will be Barrett’s first time doing commentary for “Raw.” In addition to his in-ring career, Barrett was previously a commentator for WWE’s Nxt before moving to “Friday Night SmackDown” on Fox in late 2022.

Cole will also remain on the commentary team for “SmackDown,” where he will be joined by Kevin Patrick and Corey Graves beginning Aug. 11.

Patrick and Graves are moving from “Raw” to “SmackDown.” According to an individual with knowledge of the situation, WWE remains high on...