Pat McAfee will be taking on Adam Cole at the WWE NXT TakeOver XXX.
The match is a result of a confrontation between the two at an event last week.
During a tense confrontation with @AdamColePro, @PatMcAfeeShow let his kick do the talking. #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/flb90yKCn8
— WWE (@WWE) August 6, 2020
After the altercation, Cole challenged McAfee to face him in the ring. McAfee accepted, and now the two are gearing up for an Aug. 22 bout.
Pat McAfee’s WWE history
McAfee originally worked as an analyst for the organization, but he now maintains a wrestling role as well.
The former Indianapolis Colts punter signed a multiyear deal with WWE back in 2018.
Since then, he’s continued to work both in and outside the ring.
Most of his work has been in connection with the company’s NXT TakeOver events. McAfee has made regular appearances as a pre-show analyst for those events.
Since he works consistently with NXT TakeOver , it’s no surprise that he’ll now be wrestling in one of the brand’s matches.
After all, Adam Cole is a wrestler in those events, so the pairing ultimately makes a lot of sense.
No WWE betting in Indiana
Unfortunately for WWE fans, you can’t bet on the organization’s events in Indiana.
The Indiana Gaming Commission doesn’t allow betting on any WWE matches at the state’s retail or online sportsbooks.
However, that rule isn’t exclusive to the Hoosier State. Legal sportsbooks around the country don’t take action on WWE events either.
It’s essentially due to the scripted nature of professional wrestling.
Since there are predetermined outcomes for a lot of the matches, that opens up the door to potential integrity breaches and other unfair betting advantages.
Because of that, legal books around the US steer clear of all things WWE related.
That’s probably a missed opportunity for McAfee, who recently signed a deal with FanDuel Sportsbook.
If you could bet on WWE events, FanDuel would likely be pumping out new Indiana-specific promotions centered around McAfee’s match. As a former Colts player, McAfee holds a large audience in Indiana.
FanDuel has already used that following for its McAfee-sponsored “Spread The Love” promotions.
At least for now, his WWE endeavors will be off the table. If Indiana ever allows pro wrestling betting, expect FanDuel to be eager to start taking wagers.
Plenty of Indiana betting options
Even though WWE betting is out of the question, there’s still plenty of betting options in Indiana.
The Indiana Gaming Commission is pretty generous with what it allows sportsbooks to offer odds on.
Compared to most states, Hoosiers have an expansive list of betting options.
Indiana sportsbooks can take action on everything from professional bowling and sailing to bull riding and darts throwing.
Even for popular sports like basketball, there are over a dozen different leagues from countries all around the world to pick from.
So even though Indiana isn’t likely to add WWE events to the approved list anytime soon, there’s still a ton of betting options for everyone in its absence.
