The April 10, 2026, episode of SmackDown has led to severe backlash from WWE fans. Many are upset with TKO and its CEO, Ari Emanuel, mainly because of Pat McAfee and his controversial involvement in Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton’s feud ahead of WrestleMania 42.
McAfee’s introduction as Orton’s mystery caller was meant to build hype for this storyline. But instead, it led to widespread negative reactions. Many fans feel his role is hurting what was already an emotional rivalry with past history.
A massive issue fans are talking about is corporate influence. Reports say Ari Emanuel wanted McAfee added to the story to bring in more mainstream attention. Because of that, some fans think WWE is focusing more on business than storytelling.
Fans point to TKO and Ari Emanuel after Pat McAfee’s SmackDown segment
This week on RAW, CM Punk told McAfee to tell his “agent” who pushed him to WWE to lower the ticket prices. Now, on SmackDown, McAfee addressed the high ticket prices and revealed that he made a deal with WrestleMania 42’s sponsors and managed to get a 25% discount up until next RAW.
However, that didn’t help the WWE Universe feel much better. Many fans are already disappointed with Pat McAfee’s unnecessary involvement. Another problem fans had after SmackDown was the legendary NFL star’s promo style. Even though he was in character, his jokes about fans and real issues like high ticket prices didn’t sit well with everyone. The ticket price debate only made things worse when McAfee responded in a sarcastic way.
After the episode, fans shared their thoughts online, and most of them were harsh. Some said tying Orton’s possible 15th world title win to McAfee feels similar to when John Cena’s 17th title run involved Travis Scott.
Some fans blamed both TKO and Emanuel for the drop in quality, saying TKO is “ruining wrestling.” On top of that, the use of celebrities like Jelly Roll has also been criticized. Many fans feel these appearances take attention away from the main rivalry and weaken the storylines.
To sum up, something that was supposed to build excitement for WrestleMania has instead fired back. Now, it’s up to the authorities how they win back hearts.
Read More: Damien Priest Is Pissed Off About WWE’s Current Pat McAfee Storyline