It’s no secret by now that the Pat McAfee angle in the Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton storyline for WrestleMania 42 has attracted some harsh reactions from fans. Even WWE stars have conveyed their thoughts on the developments. Now, a new report says that WWE is not stopping its talent from speaking their minds about it.
McAfee was revealed as Orton’s mystery caller in the feud, and that twist didn’t go down well with many. His promos after that, where he questioned WWE’s direction and even criticized WrestleMania, made things even more heated. While it might seem good for attention, many feel that it has hurt the storyline.
Report details WWE’s stance on talent speaking about Pat McAfee angle
According to Fightful Select, WWE performers are free to openly share their opinions about McAfee’s role in the storyline with Rhodes and Orton.
One of the strongest reactions came from Damian Priest. During a recent interview with Gabby LaSpisa, Priest said that he gets along with McAfee but doesn’t like what he is doing on SmackDown lately.
During a Q&A session, Sean Ross Sapp from Fightful said, “I asked after Damian Priest interview on the Gabby AF podcast, which was a very good interview, and I was told there were no restrictions on talent speaking about it. For whatever reason, they seem to like the buzz around like anything now. So we’re hearing what we’re hearing.”
Apart from Priest, CM Punk openly called out McAfee last week on RAW and criticized him for coming to “his business.” McAfee also responded to his words later on SmackDown.
A big issue here is the story itself. Many fans feel this feud was already strong and didn’t need extra elements. McAfee’s promo style, which sometimes feels unscripted, has also confused people by mixing real-life opinions with the storyline in a messy way.
Moreover, some reports say McAfee has been pushed by higher-ups from TKO, possibly Ari Emanuel himself, to gain more mainstream media attention due to WWE’s recent deal with ESPN. That has also not sat well with Punk as well as fans. It has made people wonder if the decision is more about marketing than storytelling.
However, even with all the criticism, WWE is allowing its talent to speak openly about it, which is unusual.
Read More: WWE Fans Blast TKO And Ari Emanuel After Pat McAfee’s SmackDown Segment
