Sometimes a bet between friends turns into must-see television. WWE’s Monday Night Raw became the stage for Michael Cole’s most embarrassing moment. That happened when he had to honor a wager that went sideways fast. The whole mess started during the NBA Eastern Conference Finals when Pacers superfan Pat McAfee and die-hard Knicks supporter Cole made what seemed like harmless trash talk. Well, the Knicks crumbled, and McAfee wasn’t about to let his broadcast partner slide. The friendship dynamic shifted from playful ribbing to serious accountability.

The playoffs heated up in May 2025 when the Pacers and Knicks faced off, setting up one of WWE’s most entertaining side stories. Pat McAfee and Michael Cole couldn’t resist turning their basketball loyalty into broadcast drama—McAfee would suit up formally on Raw if the Knicks won, while Cole would commentate in a tank top if his New York team tanked. The Pacers handled business in six games, and McAfee made sure Cole couldn’t wiggle out of his promise.

Pat hit X with video proof, putting his broadcast partner on blast: “Michael Cole, these people in the entire WWE universe are expecting something from you. Evan, please roll the footage.” After showing Cole’s original tank top punishment, McAfee kept the heat on for the Finals matchup: “The Pacers are actually gonna be taking on the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals. And these people would like to see you pay your debt, sir.” Well, Cole delivered Monday night, cramming himself into that tight Pacers jersey on live TV.

And McAfee soaked it all in: “Michael Cole! Yeah, buddy! This man’s jacked!” Actually, the teasing goes so far that even Pat tells Michael, “you look like an a******.” This event not only entertains fans but also deepens the connection between the NBA and WWE by uniting audiences through their passion for competitive sports.

The whole thing turned into pure entertainment gold, but McAfee didn’t stop there. During his segment at Tulsa’s BOK Center—deep in Thunder country—he worked the crowd like a pro. “Tulsa, Oklahoma, it is an honor to be inside of you tonight,” he told the 19,000+ fans before praising their team: “Your team has been damn good. They’ve not been talked about nearly enough. SGA, the MVP, who is an absolute dawg.” Just when Oklahoma thought they had him, McAfee flipped the script:

“With that being said, PACERS IN 6! I’ll see you on Finals Day.” Honestly, Pat is such a huge Pacers fan that even Rick Carlisle is on Pat’s team.

Carlisle has McAfee’s back after WWE-style timeout rant

Rick Carlisle just made it official—he’s riding with Pat McAfee all the way. The Pacers coach appeared on McAfee’s show Monday to back his biggest cheerleader after some controversy from Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals. McAfee had gone full WWE mode during a timeout at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. He even called out celebrity Knicks fans in the crowd. Moreover, he dropped some colorful language that caught Indiana legend John Mellencamp’s attention for all the wrong reasons.

A mini social media dust-up followed, but Carlisle wasn’t having any of the criticism. “We appreciate you, Pat,” Carlisle said Monday. “We appreciate you getting us going when you’re sitting courtside. It’s awesome. I don’t care what other people think. It’s good.” The whole scene was pure entertainment. McAfee fired up the crowd while sitting courtside. And then he playfully punched Carlisle’s shoulder as the coach walked back to the bench. Carlisle didn’t even flinch but joked about feeling the impact later.

Now that the Pacers have punched their ticket to the Finals, McAfee has basically become an unofficial team member. Carlisle’s endorsement shows the organization isn’t backing down from the energy McAfee brings. Even if it ruffles some feathers along the way. Sometimes you need that extra juice. And McAfee’s delivering it, whether people like his style or not.