Pat McAfee discusses returning to WWE commentary on RAW

Pat appeared at last Saturday’s Royal Rumble event in St. Petersburg, Florida, where he filled in as a guest commentator for the event, as well as entering the match itself.
On last night’s Raw show, Michael Cole was joined by McAfee, noting that he and Pat were the new announce team for the red brand.
Speaking on the Pat McAfee Show, Pat discussed returning to the commentary team.

He said:
“I hopped back in the booth last night for Monday Night Raw and on Saturday for Royal Rumble. Haven’t done it in like a year or so. I’m gonna have to relearn the beats and the flow and what’s happening.
“Lot of slapping last night with Gunther. Those shots, you feel them. It’s like, ‘Who the hell…?’ I’m not taking one of those. He has [had the title for a long time]. Longest of all time.”

Pat also discussed some criticism he got for his performance on Raw, noting that he has to refigure out the flow on commentary following his return.

He said:

“I saw some wrestling marks who…I too, mark by the way, that is not a shot. Wrestling fans, I will say, because that term has been slanderized and everything like that, I saw them say a couple times, ‘Is this guy gonna talk through everybody’s promos?’ It’s hard for me not to go, ‘Ooh,’ when somebody says something. There were some good words spoken last night. There was tears in the ring last night. It was awesome being back. I gotta figure it out though, again.

“It’s such a different flow and beat than anything else. [I had] a blast. I had so much fun out there. There was a couple times I looked at Michael Cole, and I’m like, ‘What is happening?’ It’s coming back, like, ‘Oh yeah, oh yeah.’ They have picture-in-picture now, so getting into picture-in-picture, out of picture-in-picture. Obviously, new people in the headphones, it was fun, man. I’m loving it. It was an honor to be back there. Thank you to everybody for the hospitality, and let’s go. Let’s have a good time with this entire run. I’m pumped about it.”