WWE News

Pat McAfee’s Replacement For Monday’s RAW Revealed

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Below are a couple of top WWE & AEW news stories of the day, featuring Pat McAfee and Tony Khan.

• Pat McAfee is heading to ESPN to cover the College Football National Championship between Ohio State and Notre Dame, prompting WWE to find a replacement. Wade Barrett confirmed during SmackDown that he will step in.

WWE’s commentary lineup has been a topic of debate following significant changes in early 2025. Michael Cole returned to RAW alongside McAfee, leaving Corey Graves reassigned to NXT—a move Graves reportedly resented.

Graves expressed his displeasure in now-deleted tweets and was subsequently pulled from TV. His future with the main roster commentary team remains uncertain, as WWE has not confirmed his return.

Meanwhile, WWE has announced a major match between Seth Rollins and Drew McIntyre on RAW. JBL is also scheduled to appear, and The New Day will be in action, though their opponents have not yet been disclosed.

WATCH: Trish Stratus Pulls Her Pants Down:

• According to Wrestling Observer, AEW has no plans to utilize stars like Malakai Black, Miro, Ricky Starks, and Rey Fenix despite their status as top-tier talent.

Instead of booking them to lose before they leave, AEW owner Tony Khan is opting to bench them until their contracts expire. The Observer reported:

“Unlike promoters from the past who would job guys out under these circumstances, Khan just takes them off television. Ironically, in another era it would be considered the greatest thing in the world—make big money, never have to work. The modern generation wants to perform.”

Miro and Fenix haven’t been booked in recent months, but Starks has been allowed to take independent dates, and Black recently competed on an independent show.

WWE is reportedly already discussing creative plans for Malakai Black, raising questions about the length of his AEW deal. While Khan previously stated that Black’s contract runs through 2027, PWInsider noted that Black’s contract ends in February or March 2025.

Fans are divided on AEW’s decision. Some see it as a smart business strategy, while others consider it a waste of talent. With WWE already plotting for at least one of these stars, their next moves are being closely watched.


        
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