Pat McAfee faced a tough night on Saturday, enduring a significant attack.
The popular and sometimes controversial sports media figure has already made a name for himself in the WWE ring, but his return to action at Backlash 2025, just weeks after WrestleMania 41, left some commentators feeling battered.
McAfee, 38, took a beating at the hands of Gunther, a former WWE World Heavyweight champion, in St. Louis.
Known as the “Ring General,” Gunther is infamous for his brutal in-ring style, and McAfee certainly felt the impact during this encounter.
The damage is often delivered through Gunther’s famously hard chops, and McAfee experienced this firsthand, as he later described the pain.
“My chest is… um… burning,” McAfee shared on social media, including an image showing his bright red torso.
In this intense match, McAfee faced relentless offense, with Gunther’s signature sleeper hold ultimately causing him to pass out.
Although the bout lasted around 14 minutes, which is substantial even for a premium WWE live event, it fell short of McAfee’s debut match against Adam Cole in 2020, which lasted 16 minutes and is now his second-longest singles match in WWE history.
Throughout the fight, Gunther’s chops left visible marks on McAfee, and he thoroughly overwhelmed the WWE color commentators, securing a decisive victory.
Despite this setback, McAfee is expected to return to his commentary roles on WWE broadcasts and other media projects soon after his defeat.
Interestingly, this match was sparked by Gunther’s earlier attack on McAfee and play-by-play commentator Michael Cole on Raw.
