Pat McAfee shocked the world when he returned to WWE SmackDown to reveal himself as the mystery person who has been on the phone with Randy Orton in recent weeks.
According to a report from Pwinsider, the belief within WWE is that McAfee’s return stemmed from a decision by TKO leadership, not the creative team. One source suggested that the directive may have come from WWE President Nick Khan or even higher up in the form of TKO CEO Ari Emanuel, but that has not been confirmed as of this writing.
The move is reportedly tied into WWE’s broader media strategy. It was noted that WWE’s current agreement with ESPN, including plans to air the first hour of each night of WrestleMania 42, may have played a key role in this decision.
As you know by now, McAfee has a very strong presence in sports media and hosts a daily podcast on ESPN’s platforms.
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