WWE star retiring after Backlash 2025? Heartbreaking clues analysed

The WWE Universe had a weekend to remember, as Backlash 2025 was quite the spectacle. There were several high-profile matches, some of which were pretty brutal. Following the event, one superstar shared a heartbreaking message, which has many wondering if he could be retiring soon.

The superstar in question is none other than RAW commentator Pat McAfee. The former NFL punter was involved in a grueling match with Gunther at Backlash. It was an incredible match, and one that left McAfee beaten and bruised, but unfortunately, he could not pick up the win.

Nevertheless, he earned the respect of both The Ring General and the WWE Universe with his performance. Not only did he leave St. Louis in one piece, but he also received a standing ovation from the fans in attendance. That being said, it seems as though he is ready to bid farewell to his in-ring career.

Taking to X, McAfee shared quite an emotional message. He spoke about life and how it is like a book with many chapters. He suggested that not every character needs to be in every chapter, and that sometimes, they disappear and remain a fond memory. This could be a reference to his wrestling career, perhaps suggesting that he is hanging up his gear.

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To be fair, McAfee wasn't exactly wrestling week in and week out. Prior to Backlash 2025, his last singles match was against The Miz at WrestleMania 39. Regardless, while he may be done with wrestling, WWE fans can look forward to hearing him cover matches every Monday on RAW.

While Pat McAfee may be1 hanging up his boots, WWE recently welcomed a new star to the locker room in Jeff Cobb

While Pat McAfee might be done and dusted with his WWE wrestling career, one new star is just getting his started. The opening match at Backlash 2025 saw Jacob Fatu defend the United States Championship against LA Knight, Damian Priest, and Drew McIntyre.

The Samoan Werewolf was successful in defending his title, but a chunk of the credit should go to Jeff Cobb. The 42-year-old is the Stamford-based promotion's newest acquisition, and he, under the orders of Solo Sikoa, helped Fatu retain his title.

He made his presence felt at the ringside, attacking LA Knight and laying him out. Although shocked by this intervention, Fatu went ahead and pinned The Megastar and picked up the win.

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Cobb being introduced into the mix makes the storyline surrounding the New Bloodline that much more exciting. It will be interesting to see what the company has planned for Sikoa, Fatu, and the rest of the group.

About the author

Nithin is a Pro Wrestling writer who covers WWE news stories at Sportskeeda. He holds an MBA degree and has 4 years of content writing experience working for the likes of The SportsRush and GiveMeSport. His association with SK goes way back as he wrote for the pro wrestling division earlier, too, and interned with the team while pursuing his undergraduate degree.

Nithin’s writing style is inspired by the storytelling abilities of Japanese mangakas Eiichiro Oda, Masashi Kishimoto, and English authors like George R.R. Martin and JRR Tolkien. He strives to keep his reports accurate and relevant by keeping up to date with the pro wrestling world and catering to reader preferences.

He is a huge fan of Seth Rollins’ workhorse mentality and Sami Zayn’s never-say-die spirit. He says that if he could go back to The Attitude Era, he would love to manage Kurt Angle and bring out his ‘Wrestling Machine’ character much earlier in his career.

In his free time, Nithin watches, reads, and makes videos about sports on his YouTube channel ‘The Daily Raid.’ He also enjoys gaming, watching anime, and reading manga.

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Edited by Nithin Joseph