New details have emerged regarding the long-term planning behind the WrestleMania 42 main event picture, with reports indicating that WWE has been building toward a match between Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton for several months.
Following an earlier report from PWInsider suggesting Rhodes vs. Orton is the current direction for WrestleMania, Fightful Select has now confirmed that internal discussions about the matchup date back to January. According to the report, both Rhodes and Orton were made aware of the creative pitch for their WrestleMania encounter at the start of the year.
At the time, the title landscape looked very different. While Drew McIntyre is currently holding the Undisputed WWE Championship, Rhodes and Orton were reportedly working toward the WrestleMania destination even as other storyline developments unfolded.
The report also provided insight into the decision to have Rhodes lose the Undisputed WWE Championship earlier this year. Sources indicated that the move was not a reflection of Rhodes’ position within the company. Instead, it was reportedly done to allow him to compete in both the Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber matches, giving those premium live events additional star power.
By placing Rhodes in those marquee matches, WWE aimed to strengthen the drawing appeal of the events leading into WrestleMania season.
While Rhodes vs. Orton was still considered the plan as of last month, the report emphasized that WWE creative remains fluid. With several weeks remaining before WrestleMania 42 takes place at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, directions could still change depending on how storylines develop.
For now, attention shifts to WWE SmackDown, where Rhodes is scheduled to challenge McIntyre for the Undisputed WWE Championship. If Rhodes captures the title, it would likely finalize the long-anticipated WrestleMania showdown between the former Legacy stablemates.
