Pat McAfee to replace former Intercontinental champion on WWE RAW? Exploring the possibility

With the current year coming to an end, WWE is preparing for Monday Night RAW to move to Netflix. On January 6th, 2025, the Stamford-based promotion will present the very first episode of the Adam Pearce-led brand on the giant video streaming platform.

While many big names like Travis Scott, John Cena, and Roman Reigns are advertised to be a part of this episode, it was recently announced that Pat McAfee will also make a comeback. This means that when the former NFL athlete is back, he could replace former Intercontinental Champion Wade Barett on commentary.

Before McAfee left commentary duties earlier this year, he had formed a great bond with Michael Cole on Monday Night RAW, and their bond was thoroughly enjoyed by the WWE Universe. Hence, it won't be surprising to see Triple H and his team get McAfee and Cole on RAW together.

This potential reunion would also mean that Wade Barett and current RAW commentator Joe Tessitore would move to SmackDown. Another interesting aspect about a scenario like that is Corey Graves could work on either side or could simultaneously work both shows.

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Ex-WWE star had once praised Pat McAfee and his bond with Michael Cole

Even though Pat McAfee has not been a professional wrestler for most of his life, he has managed to make a place for himself in the WWE Universe. Until now, McAfee's work with the promotion has earned him a lot of praise from fans and colleagues.

One such person who praised McAfee is ex-WWE Superstar Baron Corbin. During an interview with TV Insider, Corbin first spoke about the bond between McAfee and Michael Cole. Later, he spoke in detail about the former NFL athlete and showered him with praise.

Corbin said:

"It’s great. Him [McAfee] and Michael Cole have so much fun together. They are friends inside the work area and outside. Pat is just an enigma. Everything he touches can turn to gold. Getting to be in the ring with him at SummerSlam two years ago was amazing. Now watching him over at the broadcast team on RAW, he has been knocking it out of the park. He is wild. He is unpredictable. He may drive some people crazy, but you can’t stop listening to him."

When Pat McAfee returns to Monday Night RAW on January 6th, it will be interesting to see the reception he gets. It will also be worth observing if he competes in the 2025 Royal Rumble, given that he competed in this year's edition of the famous match.