While Pat McAfee’s involvement at WrestleMania 42 ruffled feathers internally within WWE, the company’s potential collaboration with ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith is getting a much warmer reception. Dave Meltzer reported on Wrestling Observer Radio that there is “serious talk” within WWE about working with Smith, with many of the same people frustrated with McAfee viewing the ESPN personality favorably.
“We haven’t seen anything with Stephen A. Smith yet, although, boy, has that name been talked about, and I know it’s serious talk. Put it this way, a lot of the people who were not happy about Pat McAfee, in fact, are favourable to Stephen A. As far as internally, it goes.”
Smith has already collaborated with WWE during the WrestleMania 42 promotional cycle on ESPN, with ESPN Unlimited airing WWE pay-per-views in the United States since WrestlePalooza in September 2025. The buildup included a segment where Danhausen cursed Smith, while Smith himself was booed by the live audience while sitting in the crowd on Night One of WrestleMania 42.
A previous report from WrestleVotes Radio on Fightful Select indicated ESPN sources were “pleased and enthusiastic” about Smith becoming further involved with the WWE partnership, with an expected payoff to his involvement pitched for the summer of 2026.