WWE’s creative process around Pat McAfee’s in ring return at Backlash 2025 has now been pulled into the spotlight, with new behind the scenes footage revealing that a very different outcome was at least briefly considered.

The match saw McAfee step into the ring against the dominant Gunther, a bout that quickly turned physical and left the broadcaster dealing with legitimate injuries, including a burning sensation across his chest and a popped blood vessel in his eye. On screen, the result appeared inevitable, with “The Ring General” powering through to a decisive win. Off screen, however, the finish was not quite as clear cut as fans might have assumed.

Footage from WWE Unreal shows members of WWE’s creative team openly discussing whether McAfee pulling off a shock victory might have added an unexpected twist to the story. WWE Executive Director Bruce Prichard even acknowledged that Gunther’s dominant win felt “predictable,” suggesting there was at least some merit in exploring the opposite result.

The idea immediately sparked debate among the decision makers. WWE Chief Content Officer Paul Levesque, better known as Triple H, noted that if McAfee were to beat Gunther, the fallout would need to be significant. He argued that Gunther would have to go “on a tear” afterward to rebuild his aura and reestablish his dominance.

Not everyone was convinced. WWE Vice President of Creative Writing Jonathan Baeckstrom strongly pushed back on the concept, framing it as a misstep in Gunther’s ongoing character arc.

“James Bond wins at the end of every James Bond movie because that’s what you pay to see,” Baeckstrom said. “It’s the right ending for the story. Gunther just said, ‘I’m more focused than ever,’ and now he’s going to lose to our color commentator? And then he’s going to have to go up to the ring the next week, Pat’s going to be sitting ten feet to his left. And it’s going to be like, ‘Yeah, I got my ass whipped, but I beat him.’”

In the end, that line of thinking won out. Gunther was kept strong with a victory at Backlash 2025, while McAfee absorbed the punishment and soon returned to his regular role at the commentary desk. The debate itself, now made public, offers a rare look into how finely balanced WWE’s creative decisions can be, even when the final outcome feels inevitable.

Bruce Prichard wanted Pat McAfee to beat Gunther at Backlash last year because the other outcome was “predictable.”

Until another writer stepped in and shut it down 😭

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, EliteRockerz 𝕏 (@EliteClubS0B) January 20, 2026