• Backstage WWE Reaction To New Celebrity Is Very Different From Pat McAfee
Since WWE’s partnership with ESPN began last year, several stars have appeared on First Take and interacted with Stephen A. Smith. Reports have circulated for a while that the company is interested in eventually bringing Smith onto its programming in some form.
The possibility comes during a year in which WWE has leaned heavily into celebrity involvement across its shows. While some appearances have been well received, others drew criticism from both fans and people within the company.
According to the Wrestling Observer, there has been significant internal discussion about collaborating with Stephen A. Smith. The report added that several people backstage who were unhappy with Pat McAfee becoming involved in the Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton feud heading into WrestleMania 42 are said to be much more favorable towards the idea of Smith appearing on WWE television.
Smith recently revealed that Nick Khan pitched an idea for him to appear in WWE.
• SmackDown Star Had Disagreement With WWE Creative Over Recent Booking
Sami Zayn’s on-screen character has undergone noticeable changes in recent weeks following his United States Championship win over Carmelo Hayes. The title change came after interference from Trick Williams, which led to fans heavily booing Zayn during the moment.
Since then, Zayn and Williams have entered a feud over the championship, with crowd reactions increasingly favoring Williams. Many fans believed WWE was building towards a double turn between the two stars.
However, according to Self Made Pro, Zayn was against making the change a straightforward heel turn. Instead, he pushed for a more layered direction for his character. He believes his connection with the audience was simply changing rather than completely turning against the fans.
Zayn ultimately failed to regain the United States Championship from Williams at WWE Backlash this past Saturday.
