While there were rumours of a Vince McMahon return, nobody REALLY expected to see Vince McMahon vs Pat McAfee at Wrestlemania 38. Pat McAfee is a former NFL kicking great and commentator on WWE, with one wrestling match under his belt before 2022 (against AEW star Adam Cole in NXT). Meanwhile Vince McMahon is a 76 year old grandfather who hasn’t wrestled in over 10 years, and was never even a wrestler to begin with.
While McAfee showed some great natural ability in his debut match, McMahon did not. In McMahon’s matches, he was usually carried by top workers like Triple H, Steve Austin and Shawn Michael’s, and his matches usually descended into hardcore weapon-fests and military-grade soap opera nonsense.
So, when the likes of Fightful and Dave Meltzer reported Vince McMahon vs Pat McAfee was scheduled internally for Wrestlemania 38, nobody believed a thing. Even when Vince McMahon appeared on Pat McAfee’s radio show, they still didn’t believe it would happen. And especially nobody believed it would be any good.
They were right. Pat McAfee vs Vince McMahon was one of the worst Wrestlemania matches of all time, and maybe the worst match my poor little eyes have ever laid eyes on.
Vince McMahon vs Paul McAfee
Pat McAfee took on Vince McMahon’s protegee, Austin Theory, in a blockbuster bout at Wrestlemania 38. The former NFL kicker is a commentator on WWE TV alongside Michael Cole. but was chosen as Austin Theory’s opponent for the Grandest Stage of them all.
Their match was good. Theory is a solid in-ring talent, while what McAfee lacks in in-ring experience he makes up for explosive offence and bucket loads of charisma. In an entertaining match, McAfee pinned Theory with a roll-up, much to the delight of co-commentator and fellow undefeated-at-Wrestlemania wrester Michael Cole, to win his first and so far only Wrestlemania match.
However, after the match, McAfee called out Vince McMahon, who was outside the ring with Theory. After enough goading, McMahon took off his suit to reveal his trademark black vest, and entered the ring, ready to fight. Austin Theory then attacked McAfee, before the referee rang the bell and started off a match for a 76 year old Vince McMahon.
Now, was Vince McMahon vs Pat McAfee the worst match in Wrestlemania history? Genuinely, yes it may be the worst ever. I cannot clarify enough that Vince McMahon is a 76 year old man. He is 14 years older than The Nature Boy just Ric Flair’s last match.
McMahon did two things. He clotheslined McAfee, between gingerly walking round the round and looking like he’d be blown over by a child 4 miles away blowing out his birthday candles. And he kicked a football into the stomach of Pat McAfee before pinning him for the victory.
Oh yeah, he won the match. Of course he did. Austin Theory kept attacking Pat McAfee, allowing Vince McMahon to get the upper hand and earn his first ever Wrestlemania victory (he previously lost to Shane McMahon, Hulk Hogan, Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart at Wrestlemania). Why you would have McAfee, who is crazy over with the crowd and a huge star across the United States, lose to a man whose had his bus pass for the best part of 15 years, is something I will never understand.
The match did end with a surprise appearance from Stone Cold Steve Austin, who celebrated beating Kevin Owens the night before with a few beers and many Stone Cold Stunners to Austin Theory, Vince McMahon and Pat McAfee to send the crowd away from the match happy, but thinking “What the hell did I just watch”.
Is Vince McMahon retired?
After Vince McMahon’s last match against Pat McAfee, he is expected to quietly retire from in-ring action and continue as the WWE Chairman. When he does retire from business completely, he is expected to be succeeded by current WWE President Nick Khan.
Aftet Triple H’s recent retirement from wrestling due to a “Cardiac Event”, it is unknown whether or not The Game will continue to work with McMahon in a backstage capacity as he has been doing for over a decade.
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