Mark Henry has defended Pat McAfee's controversial role in the feud between Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes.
During Busted Open Radio, Henry argued that the NFL legend's involvement makes sense given WWE's direction heading into WrestleMania 42.
Henry acknowledged the surprise factor of the reveal, noting that fans didn't expect Pat McAfee to be the mystery caller instructing 'The Viper'. The veteran framed the negative reaction as part of a larger generational divide in wrestling fandom.
Tougher Wrestling Product
According to Henry, longtime fans continue comparing today's WWE to a different era. He explained that many hardcore viewers express frustration with the current product's tone.
A lot of the hardcore, old-school wrestling guys keep saying stuff like, 'I used to watch back in the Attitude Era. I used to watch when guys looked like they would just beat you up just for looking at them. The days of big, burly, middle-aged men wrestling is over. That's why our business is soft now'
Henry connected McAfee's mindset directly to those complaints, suggesting the former NFL star shares similar concerns about WWE's current direction.
That's what Pat McAfee was saying. 'I want to bring back that part of wrestling, the toughness, the aggressiveness. We're a little too PG.' That's what Pat McAfee is saying. He wants to help change it.
