Why Pat McAfee & Austin Theory Could Steal The Show At WrestleMania

Publish date: 2024-06-21

WrestleMania 38 is shaping up to have a rather lackluster and underwhelming card by the looks of it, with some poor tag title matches, a sea of celebrity and crossover stars, and an unnecessary title unification match. On paper, a match between commentator Pat McAfee and main roster rookie Austin Theory isn’t too much to shout about, but it could end up being one of the highlights of both nights, and it could steal headlines.

Austin Theory Is A Promising Young Talent

Austin Theory is one of the younger names currently on the main roster, and whilst he may not seem like a typical guy Vince McMahon would push, given his size and style, he is clearly shaping up to be a future star within the company, being presented as McMahon’s protégé, with several backstage segments with him over the last few months, which is an unusual thing for McMahon to partake in during modern times when he is usually very absent from television.

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Whilst these segments and Theory’s presentation have split some fans, one positive to come from it, and that is that a young and new name is being given some focus, with a steady climb up the card over time. It is also very easy to forget how good Theory is in the ring. He has had standout matches in Evolve and NXT in the past, and with him being just 24 years of age, he still has a long way to go until he is at the top of his game. Regardless of his potential, he is still very good right now, which is why he will likely thrive when given the spotlight and focus at WrestleMania.

Pat McAfee Has Already Shown He Can Go In The Ring

When it comes to Pat McAfee, he is by no means a full-time professional wrestler, but he has shown already that he is able to transfer his sporting ability and athletic talents to a WWE ring. McAfee is a former NFL star and current host of a huge show and podcast which is breaking records and making big money deals. All of this, coupled with his popular work on the Smackdown commentary desk as one of the more unique announcers in recent memory, has developed quite a standing and star power within both the wrestling and media world.

RELATED: 10 Things We Learned From Vince McMahon's Appearance On The Pat McAfee Show

McAfee initially stepped into the ring in NXT, feuding with Adam Cole and The Undisputed Era, in what was one of the biggest highlights of the pandemic era in NXT, helping to carry the show through a rough time. He showcased a natural flair and ability on the microphone, in addition to a strong in-ring skill too. Whilst he wasn’t polished, he still wrestled two great matches, making him one of the better crossover stars of all time.

When coupled with someone like Theory, McAfee will likely bring out his best again, working with someone who will be able to bump for him, but someone he will also be able to try and match in terms of athleticism, which could be fun to see. Theory, despite his age, is a perfect candidate to work with someone who is still very new to competing between the ropes. Theory is someone who makes everything look so easy, with a big future ahead, and he will mesh well with McAfee.

Their Match Could Steal The Show At WrestleMania

Up and down the WrestleMania card, there will be much bigger names, with the likes of Roman Reigns, Brock Lesnar, Becky Lynch, and perhaps even Steve Austin all competing at the show. However, all these matches have lofty expectations attached. When it comes to Reigns vs Lesnar, it has been hyped up as the biggest and most important WrestleMania match in history, and when looking at the great matches from the show’s past, WWE is setting it up for potential disaster, as the match could turn out to be a slow and plodding affair, like a couple of their matches have ended up being in the past.

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Walking into WrestleMania, there aren’t too many expectations with McAfee and Theory, and that could work in their favor. If the pair can walk out there in front of upwards of 70,000 people, and put on a great professional wrestling match, it could be the best match of the weekend. Due to McAfee’s popularity and the fact that he isn’t a full-time wrestler, he could shock a lot of fans who may not have seen his work in NXT, and he could well bring the building to its feet with a strong performance. The build hasn’t been perfect thus far, but as several WrestleMania’s have proven in the past, a bad build doesn’t necessarily mean a bad show or poor matches.

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