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SmackDown commentator Pat McAfee returned to WWE during the Royal Rumble and it seems the company has big plans for him. According to reports from 'Fightful Select', McAfee's return was kept top secret by WWE and was not known even to his colleagues.
The 35-year-old actually flew to San Antonio on a private jet and his appearance at the Alamodome left everyone speechless. The report also claims that Pat was initially considered for a spot in the men's royal brawl, but things turned out differently.
The Stamford federation still hopes to let the former NFL star fight this year, after showing flashes of crystalline talent at WrestleMania 38 (against Austin Theory) and at SummerSlam 2022 (against Happy Corbin).
Backstage news on Pat McAfee
The return of Pat McAfee was just one of the many twists that made the Royal Rumble an electrifying show.
Rhea Ripley took the lead in the women's brawl royal, while Cody Rhodes took the men's brawl to the delight of the fans. Bray Wyatt defeated LA Knight in the first 'Pitch Black match' in the company's history and Gunther broke the record for staying in the ring during the royal brawl.
The highlight of the PPV was undoubtedly Sami Zayn's betrayal of Roman Reigns, the repercussions of which will carry us all the way to WrestleMania. We remind you that the 39th edition of the 'Showcase of the Immortals' will be staged on April 1 and 2 at the SoFi Stadium, a stone's throw from Hollywood.
The 2023 edition of the Royal Rumble was highly appreciated by fans and insiders. Triple H is aware that he has done a great job in recent months: “To some I may seem arrogant, but I always say what I think. We put a ton of money into delivering the highest quality fan shows, as the hundreds of people who work for WWE behind the scenes can tell you.
We will do the same thing in Montreal and then at SoFi Stadium, that's our job." According to McAfee, he wanted to continue his role as a commentator, while focusing on his new gig at the same time. But WWE advised against it.
"I had to talk to WWE first and see what their thoughts were. I was thinking about maybe doing both, how do I go about doing it? I did it one time whenever SmackDown was in Buffalo and there was a plane was stuck in the Middle East."