49ers' George Kittle, Pat McAfee Eye WWE Tag Match; Rumors on CM Punk, Matt Riddle
Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.
Kittle Talks Potential Tag Team with McAfee
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San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle is a lifelong pro wrestling fan, and he suggested this week that he would be open to stepping inside the ring at some point with a former NFL star by his side.
Speaking to Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated, Kittle was asked about the possibility of forming a tag team with Indianapolis Colts All-Pro punter turned WWE commentator and Superstar Pat McAfee, to which he responded: "I feel like Pat and myself would be a wonderful tag team duo. It would take some pretty great competition to upset us."
Kittle has never had an official match, but he attends WWE shows regularly, and he played a major role in McAfee's match at WrestleMania 39 in April.
McAfee had an impromptu bout with The Miz on the Grandest Stage of Them All, and Kittle hopped out of the crowd to lend a helping hand at one point, which allowed McAfee to pick up the victory.
Quite a few athletes from other sports have proved to be naturals in the world of pro wrestling, and McAfee is one of them, which perhaps bodes well for Kittle having a future in the industry.
Kittle, who is a four-time Pro Bowler, one-time first-team All-Pro and one of the best tight ends in football, brings some pro wrestling flair with him to the gridiron essentially every game he plays.
When Kittle makes a first down, his signature celebration is the "Cero Miedo" hand gesture done by AEW star Penta El Zero Miedo.
While it stands to reason that both AEW and WWE would love to have Kittle wrestle a match at some point, a tag team with McAfee can only happen with WWE as of now, and WWE has the built-in track record of success when it comes to working with athletes and celebrities over the past several decades.
Impact Reportedly Open to Signing CM Punk
After his release from AEW, CM Punk reportedly has an option at his disposal if he wants to continue his pro wrestling career.
According to Fightful's Sean Ross Sapp, Impact Wrestling "would welcome" Punk if he wants to join the company due in part to the fact that he was "really great" backstage when he visited while under contract with AEW.
Punk stayed out of pro wrestling for over seven years after leaving WWE in January 2014, but he made his return in 2021 when he signed with AEW.
There was a great deal of excitement surrounding Punk's return to pro wrestling, and fans were treated to Punk winning the AEW World Championship twice, in addition to have several entertaining matches and feuds.
Behind-the-scenes issues led to Punk's demise in AEW, though, as he reportedly got into a backstage altercation with "Jungle Boy" Jack Perry in August at All In, which led to his release.
Once Punk was let go from AEW, rumors and speculation immediately started swirling regarding him possibly returning to WWE.
However, Sapp tempered expectations by reporting that WWE higher-ups informed him that they are not in talks with Punk and are not currently pursuing him.
While WWE could always reverse course, that report suggests Punk will have to wrestle somewhere other than WWE or AEW if he wants to get back in the ring in the near future.
Impact is a distant third behind WWE and AEW in terms of North American wrestling promotions, but the company has had significant success in the past, and signing Punk would undoubtedly generate a ton of new interest in the product.
Riddle Reportedly Generating Interest After WWE Release
WWE parted ways with Matt Riddle as part of wide-ranging talent cuts last month, but he reportedly may not be out of work for long.
According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Felix Upton of Ringside News), Riddle has already been in talks with multiple pro wrestling, MMA and boxing promotions since his WWE release.
Meltzer noted that while it isn't known specifically which wrestling companies Riddle has spoken with, he has spoken with two shoot fighting leagues in the PFL and Bare Knuckle Boxing.
Regardless of whether he decides to make wrestling, MMA fighting or boxing his next move, Riddle has a non-compete clause, meaning he can't officially make a move until late December, per Meltzer.
The 37-year-old Riddle signed with WWE in 2018, but he was a highly successful MMA fighter before that, fighting multiple times for UFC and posting a professional record of 8-3 with two no contests.
Riddle was a natural in the world of pro wrestling, quickly rising up the ranks on the independent scene before signing with WWE.
The Original Bro was a decorated performer in WWE, holding the United States Championship once and the Raw Tag Team Championships twice with future WWE Hall of Famer Randy Orton as his partner.
Riddle is a supremely talented in-ring performer with a unique personality, so he should catch on somewhere else quickly if he wants to continue wrestling.
AEW, Impact Wrestling and New Japan Pro-Wrestling all make sense as possible landing spots for Riddle once his non-compete clause comes to an end.
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