According to Mike Johnson from PWInsider.com, Pat McAfee’s involvement in the WrestleMania 42 storyline featuring Undisputed WWE Champion “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes and “The Viper” Randy Orton has raised internal concerns among WWE talent. Several performers feel that the Rhodes vs. Orton program already has sufficient history and narrative without McAfee’s addition.
The report indicated that some backstage talents view McAfee’s role as unnecessary within the existing storyline. There has been debate among performers over whether the match requires an extra element. Sources said many talents believe Rhodes now has to manage increased expectations, and while he did not share the McAfee situation with anyone, there is backstage sympathy for him having to bear this additional pressure.
McAfee delivered an unscripted, off-the-cuff promo on WWE SmackDown about the feud, which was not well-received by many of his colleagues. This appearance garnered attention backstage, with some talents expressing negative reactions to both the content and the timing of his involvement in the build-up to WrestleMania 42.
Earlier reports suggested that the decision regarding McAfee’s role came from TKO Group Holdings’ top executives rather than WWE’s regular creative team, which is led by Triple H.
The Rhodes vs. Orton match is scheduled for Night 1 of WrestleMania 42, and the storyline is based on their long-standing history, dating back to their earlier WWE associations.
