Pat McAfee admits that he didn’t know every name involved with the 2024 Royal Rumble, but the NFL-punter-turned-WWE-commentator was impressed.
Speaking on the Pat McAfee Show, the new WWE Raw color commentator noted that he was unaware of some stars in the respective Rumble matches, one was current TNA Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace, who shocked everybody with her appearance.
“Jordynne Grace. I had no clue who that was. As I was going through Gorilla to get up and out … I see her, and I’m like, because she had a title around her and she was facing away, I’m like, ‘Holy f***. Who is jocked, absolutely jocked?’ Then I come out there, and they’re like, ‘TNA Knockouts Champion.’ It’s like, ‘Holy s***.’”
Pat McAfee Admits to Not Recognizing Jordynne Grace at WWE Royal Rumble:
“There were some people that came out; I had no idea who they were. I had no clue. I was looking over at the trons, and I’m like, ‘What’s the name here? What’s the name here?’ And [Michael] Cole and Corey… pic.twitter.com/MMheEwDx0b
— meraWRESTLING (@meraWRESTLING) January 31, 2024
Grace didn’t eliminate anyone in the Women’s Royal Rumble match, but she did last over 20 minutes before being taken out by Bianca Belair. She also had a memorable run-in with Naomi, who just this past month dropped the Knockouts Championship to Grace at TNA Hard To Kill.
It was reported by PWInsider that Grace’s appearance in the match was actually an overture made by WWE to TNA with one source even believing that Triple H was the catalyst behind it all happening.
Grace also recounted the phone call she received from Scott D’Amore asking if she’d be interested in working the match to which Grace was shocked about it all occurring,
McAfee also happened to be an entrant in the men’s Royal Rumble match, but when he realized he was going to have to go up against Omos and Bron Breakker, he swiftly eliminated himself.