Pat McAfee’s surprise involvement in the Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes WrestleMania storyline was reportedly not the product of WWE’s creative team but rather a decision pushed from the corporate level of TKO, with sources suggesting the order may have come directly from TKO CEO Ari Emanuel, according to reports from both PWInsider Elite and BodySlam.net.
McAfee was revealed as Orton’s mystery ally on the April 3 episode of SmackDown in a moment that caught many within WWE by surprise given how heavily he was featured. According to PWInsider Elite, there is a growing belief within the company that the initiative came from TKO leadership rather than the writers responsible for the weekly television product. BodySlam.net went further, with sources indicating the call came directly from Emanuel and TKO brass rather than from Triple H or WWE creative.
The reasoning behind the decision is believed to connect to WWE’s broader media strategy, specifically the company’s agreement with ESPN around WrestleMania 42. With the first hour of each night of WrestleMania set to air on linear television platforms, McAfee’s well-established presence in mainstream sports media makes him a natural fit to help bridge the worlds of sports broadcasting and professional wrestling for a wider audience.
BodySlam reports that Emanuel views McAfee as a star who will help elevate the Orton and Rhodes program and get it to the level it needs to be heading into WrestleMania, with TKO firmly believing that mainstream names drive additional eyes to the product and boost ticket sales.
BodySlam also noted that McAfee’s recent public comments suggesting the wrestling business had passed him by were entirely kayfabe and that his return to WWE had been anticipated internally for some time. McAfee added further fuel to the storyline after his SmackDown appearance by publicly promising to walk away from wrestling television entirely if Orton fails to defeat Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania 42.
Rhodes defends the Undisputed WWE Championship against Orton in the Night 1 main event of WrestleMania 42 on April 18 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.