Cody Rhodes is gearing up to square off against Randy Orton for the Undisputed WWE Title at WrestleMania 42. The bout was set up after Orton won the 2026 Men’s Elimination Chamber Match, and The American Nightmare defeated Drew McIntyre for the gold. A few weeks ago, Orton shockingly betrayed his longtime ally and assaulted him on SmackDown.
The Viper and Cody Rhodes share a storied history in WWE. Orton took The American Nightmare under his wing in 2008 as part of a faction called The Legacy. Orton, Rhodes, and Ted DiBiase Jr. went on to wreak havoc on the roster before parting ways. Fast forward to 2026, and the Undisputed WWE Champion finds himself in a heated rivalry with his former mentor.
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Given the duo’s history, fans were excited to witness their feud play out on the Road to WrestleMania 42. However, the creative team introduced an unexpected twist in the program this past Friday. For weeks, The Viper had been in contact with a mystery figure, and viewers had high expectations for the reveal. On the latest edition of SmackDown, Pat McAfee was revealed as Orton’s mystery ally.
Pat McAfee showed up on the blue brand and cut a scathing promo, criticizing the current state of WWE. He blamed Rhodes for the slow WrestleMania ticket sales and low TV ratings. The NFL veteran combined forces with Orton and claimed that, together, they would “save” the business at WrestleMania 42. McAfee also assaulted The American Nightmare alongside Orton.
The angle did not sit well with many fans on social media. Viewers lambasted the creative team for pairing Orton with McAfee without a good reason. Some fans claimed that the former WWE commentator didn’t belong in the deeply personal feud between The Viper and The American Nightmare.
Rhodes showed up later in the program to address the attack. He took shots at TKO and McAfee before highlighting his rich history with The Apex Predator. A report by Bodyslam suggested that the creative team had asked the champion to cut an unscripted promo. It was also reported that many backstage in WWE were unhappy with TKO for interfering in WrestleMania storylines at the last minute.
In a new social media post, The American Nightmare might have subtly confirmed the truth about his issues with TKO officials. Despite the rumors, he might not have issues with WWE’s parent organization.
Cody Rhodes has a new mindset following the attack by Pat McAfee
The Undisputed WWE Champion shared a GIF on X following the assault, seemingly implying that it was now him against the world in his rivalry with Orton. Last year, Cody Rhodes’ feud with John Cena on the Road to WrestleMania 41 received a negative reaction from fans due to rapper Travis Scott’s involvement.
This year, TKO reportedly asked the Triple H-led creative team to add Pat McAfee to the Orton-Rhodes saga. Similar to last year, the inclusion has garnered adverse reactions from viewers and arguably hampered the storyline’s momentum. However, The American Nightmare might not have real-life issues with TKO officials.
Cody Rhodes is a top star in WWE, and he wouldn’t have shared the abovementioned GIF if he had issues with TKO in real life. Moreover, the organization might have forced him to take down the post if it was about their legit creative differences.
Pat McAfee made a huge claim before Randy Orton vs. Cody Rhodes
On X, Pat McAfee recently replied to a post by WWE about his unexpected union with Randy Orton. The NFL veteran wrote that Randy Orton was the greatest sports entertainer of all time. He claimed that The Viper would defeat Cody Rhodes for the title at WrestleMania and “save” pro wrestling.
McAfee concluded by writing that he wouldn’t appear on WWE TV again if Orton lost to Rhodes at The Show of Shows.
Edited by Pratik Singh
