Remember when Pat McAfee traded his headset for headgear? The Enterprise Center, practically exploding, watched as the former NFL punter turned commentator shocked the world by stepping into the ring at Backlash, not for analysis, but for a full-on brawl with Gunther. Nobody expected McAfee to actually fight the Ring General, and what happened next was pure mayhem.

Not many athletes manage to crush it in two grueling sports, and even fewer do so with the same swagger Pat McAfee brings to the table. After eight solid seasons with the Colts, including two Pro Bowl appearances, McAfee has completely rebranded himself in WWE—part analyst, part hype guy, and occasionally a surprise contender in the ring. But on Saturday, May 10, the dude reminded everyone that behind all the mic work is still a guy ready to throw down.

At the 20th WWE Backlash event in St. Louis, McAfee stepped into the ring against Gunther—yep, the same Gunther who’s one of WWE’s scariest dudes and a former Intercontinental champ. The result? A tough loss, but man, McAfee left a mark. Gunther took the win with a vicious sleeper hold that knocked McAfee out cold and had the ref calling it off when he went limp. Still, even in defeat, the NFL star proved a point.

Right after the match, McAfee posted a clip on X that straight-up screamed pride, saying, “Never tapped aht. #WWEBacklash.” And honestly, you could see it—the guy refused to quit. He still had some fight in him, standing up mid-hold and doing everything he could to stay conscious before eventually crumpling. When the ref stopped it, announcer Michael Cole’s voice legit cracked like he couldn’t handle what just went down.

Oh, and there’s more to that post than just heart—it also kinda felt like a jab at Gunther. Not too long ago, Gunther tapped out to Jey Uso, which pretty much shattered that whole “invincible” vibe he had going on. So McAfee’s message? Even when he lost, he didn’t give in. That counts for something—because in wrestling, let’s be real, the narrative often matters more than the final score. Sure, Gunther got his W, but McAfee? He walked away with fans buzzing—and yeah, but lets we must say that the dude did light it up.

Pat McAfee’s loss: Fans weigh in on the ESPN analyst’s future

SmackDown GM Nick Aldis made it all happen, setting the stage for one of the most unexpected yet epic showdowns. It all began when Gunther confronted Michael Cole about his “support” for Jey Uso at WrestleMania 41 Night 1. The situation heated up, and that’s when NFL star-turned-broadcast legend Pat McAfee stepped in to defend his buddy. He didn’t get the win against the former WWE Champion, but he walked away with something way cooler—the fans’ love and respect.

After the match, Pat posted an IG story showing off his bruised and battered self—classic, right? You could tell he gave it his all. First, he shared a hug with Cole, who tried to comfort him, but you could see the disappointment etched all over his face. Then, he turned to the cheering crowd, which gave him a standing ovation. They knew. They knew. And the fans’ reactions were just a chef’s kiss. One fan said, “Pat McAfee is one BAD— MO———-!!! Stood up to Gunther and got back on his own two feet.”

Another kept it real with, “I gotta say that Pat McAfee proved a lot to me against GUNTHER. Falling asleep, but in a way gaining respect in defeat. #WWEBacklash.” That’s right—sometimes it’s not about how you fall but how you get back up… it feels a bit like something Captain America would say, doesn’t it?  Adding to the hype, Pat dropped his own mic-worthy comment on social media: “I tried my best… Stand up for your people.” Insert crowd applause here. Now, this match wasn’t just a fight—it was a full-on emotional rollercoaster, like Endgame but condensed into 15 minutes of butt-kicking action.

And Pat’s grit? It had everyone quoting Mark Twain: “It is not the size of the dog in the fight that counts, but the fight in the dog that wins.” Even though Gunther walked away with the win, Pat’s performance showed everyone why he has that main-character energy. Another fan chimed in after the bout: “Pat McAfee vs. Gunther was incredibly talented. Pat proved he’s someone not to mess with, and Gunther was just going easy on him. What a match! And that rare show of respect from Gunther to Pat? Unreal!” Someone else added, “Pat McAfee is surprisingly good in-ring and should get more matches in the future.” Yeah, Marvel Phase Four might have fallen flat in some parts, but this match certainly didn’t.

But let’s not forget—this whole thing wasn’t just about McAfee’s game show energy. The Ring General absolutely snapped that night and took out Michael Cole post-match, only for Pat to jump in and save his buddy… before Gunther put him to sleep with one brutal hold. Yikes. As a result, Adam Pearce suspended Gunther for his behavior (Nick Fury vibes, anyone?), but not before Raw commentator McAfee decided to up the stakes by challenging the Ring General to a duel at Backlash. This was a huge move for McAfee, considering this is basically his first singles match since WrestleMania two years ago.

If Pat pulls off a win here, it might become one of those huge WWE moments fans talk about for years—like Hulk versus Thor in Sakaar-level unexpected. Fans already rally behind him big time: “Backlash was better than WrestleMania. Also, while Gunther vs. Pat McAfee wasn’t a technical masterpiece, it was a really fun match, and it was cool.” Honestly, sometimes you don’t need perfection to make an impact—you just need heart. Not Tony Stark arc reactor-level heart (RIP), but the kind of grit that captures everyone’s attention, like Thor charging into battle with Stormbreaker. Pat did exactly that—he stole hearts.