Professional wrestling enthusiasts were taken by surprise on last Friday’s WWE Smackdown show in Denver, Colorado. Among the highlights was a stupendous appearance by former WWE commentator, Pat McAfee, and a beloved return from “The Rock” Dwayne Johnson himself.
Discussing his invite to the SmackDown episode on his eponymous podcast, The Pat McAfee Show, the former commentator revealed the rather sudden nature of the arrangement. “Hey, you want to go on SmackDown, open the show, and then be in the ring with The Rock…? Uh, yeah.” McAfee noted. Implicating the tight scheduling, he continued, “Traffic from Boulder to Denver was not great. Show starts at six o’clock local time. So a lot of people talk about how long did everything come together? It’s like, real quick.”
The wrestling aficionado further expressed his delight over the opportunity while reflecting on the electric response The Rock received from the crowd. McAfee also teased the potential setup for a WrestleMania showdown between veteran icons John Cena and The Rock, fueling speculations of a possible future angle.
In other WWE happening, several indie talent names have been confirmed for the company’s upcoming tryouts at their Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. MLW veteran Richard Holliday and NWA’s Madi Wrenkowski, amongst others, are slated to participate.
In addition to these developments, WWE RAW is expected to meet some stern challenges from this season of NFL’s Monday Night Football. A report by The Hollywood Reporter indicates that the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike will lead ABC to broadcast the full lineup of MNF games, marking a first for the network. ABC will also reportedly air a primetime game on December 30th, a doubleheader game on January 6th and playoff fixtures in January. RAW will certainly need to bring out the big guns to fight off this broadcasting titan.
As the wrestling landscape continues ironing out deals and gearing for future shows, fans prepare for a season filled with smackdown commentaries, spirited tryouts, and potential stiff competition. Only time will truly reveal the lasting impacts of these shakeups in the pro wrestling world. ~ WWE News Reporter
