WrestleMania 41 match rumor is not appealing, veteran says (Exclusive)
WrestleMania 41 will take place at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada, on April 19-20. With three months to go until the two-night event, former WWE writer Vince Russo gave his thoughts on speculation surrounding Corey Graves and Pat McAfee.
On January 13, Graves expressed his frustrations with being demoted to NXT after Pat McAfee became Michael Cole's new RAW commentary partner. The announcer's since-deleted X posts prompted rumors he could face former NFL star McAfee at WrestleMania 41.
Russo appeared on Sportskeeda's The Wrestling Outlaws alongside host Dr. Chris Featherstone and former WWE wrestler EC3. Discussing the WrestleMania 41 rumor, he made it clear that the match does not appeal to fans:
"They're so connected to this bubble," Russo said. "It's almost like they're in a womb and they're connected with this freaking umbilical cord. Let's say, for argument's sake, it's a work. Okay, so, what, Corey Graves is gonna wrestle Pat McAfee? Bro, nobody knows who Corey Graves is outside the bubble!" [8:01 – 8:26]
Russo added that Graves vs. McAfee would not result in WWE receiving any new fans:
"So you're gonna have the same exact people watching the show. So who are you working? You're not gonna have casual fans [saying], 'Oh my God, Corey Graves is [wrestling]?' They don't freaking know who the guy is! So if it's a work, good for you, and you're not gonna add 10 more fans, man." [8:26 – 8:47]
On January 21, Graves surprisingly returned to the NXT announce desk after missing the January 14 episode. It is unclear if his X post and temporary absence will lead to a storyline.
EC3's thoughts on Corey Graves vs. Pat McAfee at WrestleMania 41
In the early 2010s, Corey Graves and EC3 were part of WWE's Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) developmental system. While EC3 later found success in TNA Wrestling, Graves became a commentator after concussion issues forced him to retire from wrestling.
EC3 is a fan of Graves' work on the microphone and believes a storyline with Pat McAfee has potential:
"If there was real creative, everything you guys are saying is right. What's the pay-off to the pop? Who's gonna really be added? Well, you have a lot of content to cover. You have a lot of TV to create. It's an interesting story. A guy like Corey is a great promo that could tell the story, so it could be engaging TV even if it's for the audience that's not gonna grow it." [9:34 – 9:57]
Graves has not wrestled since facing Troy McClain in a no-contest at WrestleMania Axxess in 2014. In 2022, the 40-year-old revealed he received medical clearance to wrestle again after overcoming his concussion problems.
Does a Corey Graves vs. Pat McAfee match appeal to you? Hit the discuss button and let us know.
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