WWE keeps leaning on celebrities at WrestleMania, but fans have had enough. What once felt special now feels forced and unnecessary.
Once upon a time, celebrity involvement in WWE actually meant something. It wasn’t overdone, it wasn’t forced, and it didn’t feel like a desperate grab for attention. When celebrities showed up, it enhanced the product. It didn’t distract from it.
That’s no longer the case.
Now, it feels like WWE is going out of its way to cram celebrities into WrestleMania whether they belong there or not. The result is moments that feel manufactured, storylines that lose focus, and a roster that gets pushed aside in favor of outside names who haven’t put in the work.
It’s not exciting anymore. It’s exhausting.
The Backlash to Celebrity Involvement at WrestleMania Is Getting Louder
The return of Pat McAfee on WWE SmackDown last week may have just been the straw that broke the camel’s back. Complaints about celebrity involvement had already been loud, but now it feels like it’s being screamed from the heavens.
The build for Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes was fine as it was. Orton turning back into that aggressive, ruthless version of himself is exactly what this story needed, while Rhodes is starting to hear the shift in crowd reaction. It was never going to be a simple babyface vs. babyface match, but forcing something extra into it wasn’t the answer.
Then they added Pat McAfee as the man Orton had been speaking to over the past few weeks.
I caught the reveal on X and audibly said, “You’ve got to be shitting me,” to myself. And honestly, that reaction probably wasn’t unique.
Not only does McAfee have zero on-screen history with Orton and Rhodes, but he adds absolutely nothing to this build. If you were on the fence about ordering WrestleMania or even attending, is this really what’s going to move the needle?
Because right now, it just feels like WWE is going down a checklist of whoever’s trending and plugging them in.
Ah yes, buzz. WWE’s favorite new obsession.
They want moments. They want clips. They want something that can blow up on social media and pull in casual viewers. But is McAfee really doing that? Or is it just another example of them forcing something that doesn’t belong?
Because all it’s doing right now is frustrating the fans who are already invested. The ones actually watching. The ones actually paying.
Not Every Celebrity Involvement Is a Problem
Trust me, there was a time where celebrity involvement was good. There was a time where it made sense. There was a time where it actually added a legitimate layer to the story instead of distracting from it.
The easiest and most obvious example, in my opinion, was when Chuck Norris served as the outside enforcer for the Casket Match between The Undertaker and Yokozuna at the 1994 Survivor Series.
Why was Norris needed? Because when The Undertaker and Yokozuna met at the 1994 Royal Rumble in a Casket Match, the ending turned into complete chaos. Nine heels came down to help Yokozuna, overwhelmed Undertaker, and rolled his lifeless body into the casket. It wasn’t a finish. It was a mugging.
So when the rematch was set for Survivor Series, WWF gave you a reason for the added presence. Norris, who was a massive TV star at the time, was there to make sure it didn’t happen again. And when the heels tried to interfere, he shut it down immediately. Jeff Jarrett taking that kick to the chin sold it perfectly.
It made sense. It fit the story. It didn’t feel forced.
That’s the difference.
The involvement wasn’t there to create “buzz.” It was there because the story demanded it. And because of that, it’s still memorable over 30 years later.
Be honest, are you going to remember Pat McAfee “saving the business” years from now? I doubt it.
WWE Is Missing the Point
WrestleMania was once dubbed “The Showcase of the Immortals.” Now it feels like “The Showcase of Guest Appearances.”
On the “Road to WrestleMania,” we’ve seen Jelly Roll, Pat McAfee, IShowSpeed, Lil Yachty, among others. While not all of it is officially set, the expectation is clear. Some will be in matches, others will be part of segments designed to create a moment.
And sure, that might bring in a few extra eyeballs. That’s always the goal. But at what cost?
Because right now, it feels like WWE is so focused on reaching new fans that they’re taking the ones they already have for granted. The audience that’s been watching week after week, buying tickets, investing in these stories, they’re being asked to care about celebrities who haven’t been part of the journey.
This isn’t about celebrities being involved. It’s about how often it’s happening, how forced it feels, and how little it actually adds.
WrestleMania doesn’t need help feeling important. It never has. And the more WWE treats celebrity involvement like a requirement instead of an exception, the more it chips away at what made it special in the first place.
Because when everyone gets a spotlight, the people who earned it matter a little less.
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