More Backstage Details on TKO Wanting Pat McAfee in Cody Rhodes & Randy Orton’s Feud, Trouble Between WWE & ESPN

As previously reported, Pat McAfee was revealed as Randy Orton’s mystery caller last night on WWE SmackDown. The two attacked Cody Rhodes, with McAfee trashing Rhodes and the state of WWE, declaring that Orton would get the company back to where it needs to be. It was later reported that the McAfee idea came from Ari Emanuel and TKO executives.

PWInsider’s Mike Johnson later reported more details on the decision to use McAfee in responding to a fan question in a Q&A column asking why McAfee is being forced into the Orton vs. Rhodes feud.

Much like BodySlam+’s initial report, Johnson is also reporting that the idea to use McAfee in the feud was an edict that came from above WWE in TKO. It’s also said that the edict came down from TKO “about three weeks ago,” but they sought to keep the plans quiet.

Johnson adds that there’s a belief among various sources that the addition of McAfee to the feud was “a bone for ESPN,” since McAfee is a major part of ESPN, and WrestleMania is being shown on ESPN’s platform for the first time this year.

Additionally, Johnson noted that there have been “rumblings” that the working relationship between WWE and ESPN has not been the “smoothest process,” as ESPN wants to increase its subscriber numbers. At the same time, WWE reportedly hasn’t been happy that ESPN didn’t make its Unlimited tier for its streaming service available across all cable and satellite subscribers as originally planned. So, the result of using McAfee in a big storyline is being done as a way to strengthen WWE and ESPN’s alliance.

That said, McAfee was already well-liked in WWE before he was brought in for this angle, and he’s wrestled in WWE multiple times in the past, including at WrestleMania. During WWE: Unreal Season 2, Chief Creative Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque said of McAfee, “Pat McAfee is the face of the WWE to a lot of people.”

Pat McAfee To Be In Randy Orton’s Corner Against Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 42

Regardless, Cody Rhodes will defend his WWE Undisputed Title against Randy Orton at WrestleMania 42, with Pat McAfee in Orton’s corner. McAfee declared that if Orton doesn’t win, he will never appear in wrestling again.

WrestleMania 42 is set to take place on April 18th and 19 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. The show will air live on ESPN Unlimited in the US and on Netflix internationally. 411 will have live coverage of the show.