Damian Priest Slams Pat McAfee's Storyline Inclusion On WWE TV, Reveals Locker Room Unhappiness

Pat McAfee’s recent injection into the main event scene on Friday Night SmackDown has caused outcry from fans and wrestlers alike. After it was reported that TKO were behind the decision to include McAfee in the WWE Championship picture ahead of WrestleMania 42, it was noted that some backstage in WWE were not too pleased with the decision. One half of the reigning WWE Tag Team Champions, Damian Priest, has now been open publicly about his disapproval. 

Speaking with Gabby LaSpisa, Priest revealed that he and others in WWE think the whole thing sucks. 

"It sucks. Not a fan. (I'm) somebody who knows Pat, gets along with him, but ... for me, that's not my taste. I don't think it helps anything. He didn't need it. So for me, I'm sure a lot of people aren't going to be happy that I said that. But in the locker room specifically, a lot of us weren't happy, and that's real. I was asked by some of the younger talent what did I think, and I thought it was bull. We're a PG show, right, but he could come in and he could throw F-bombs and say whatever he wants. For me, that's one of those things that so many other talent - even from (saying) one word - could benefit (and potentially move up the card). Instead, you take somebody who's not even here all the time and (he) gets away with saying something like that who doesn't even need it. Not gonna lie, it kind of pissed me off."

It was noted that TKO felt as though McAfee would bring about a boost in WrestleMania ticket sales and more “corporate synergy” between WWE and ESPN.

H/T PWInsider