The WWE SmackDown Pat McAfee reveal completely derailed what should have been one of the easiest WrestleMania stories in years. Cody Rhodes vs Randy Orton had history, betrayal, and real stakes. Now it’s cluttered with celebrity involvement that nobody asked for.
Let’s just call it what it is. The WWE SmackDown Pat McAfee reveal completely derailed what should have been one of the easiest, most emotional WrestleMania stories in years.
We had Randy Orton vs Cody Rhodes. History. Legacy. Betrayal. Real stakes.
And somehow… we ended up with Pat McAfee and Jelly Roll.
I genuinely don’t understand how WWE keeps fumbling stories that practically write themselves.
WWE SmackDown Pat McAfee Reveal Was a Massive Miss
On the April 3 episode of SmackDown, WWE finally revealed the mystery person backing Randy Orton.
It was Pat McAfee.
Not a returning legend. Not someone tied to Orton or Cody’s past. Not even someone who adds emotional weight to the story.
Just Pat McAfee.
And yes, he didn’t just show up. He attacked Cody Rhodes, cut a promo about “saving wrestling,” and aligned himself with Orton heading into WrestleMania.
That’s the moment this storyline officially lost me.
Because the entire mystery angle was built like it mattered. Weeks of teasing. Weeks of speculation. And the payoff was… a commentator.
This Should Have Been About Cody Rhodes vs Randy Orton
This is the part that drives me insane.
Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton don’t need help. They don’t need celebrities. They don’t need distractions.
They have built-in history:
- Former mentor and protege dynamic
- Evolution ties
- A brutal betrayal just weeks ago where Orton left Cody bloodied
That’s your story.
Instead, WWE keeps inserting random elements:
- Jelly Roll getting RKO’d for no reason
- Celebrity involvement that adds zero emotional depth
- Now Pat McAfee randomly becoming a major heel player
It feels like WWE doesn’t trust its own storytelling.
Pat McAfee as a Heel? It Just Doesn’t Work
Look, Pat McAfee has value. He’s entertaining. He’s charismatic.
But this?
This is forced.
McAfee came out talking about how WWE needs saving and how Cody Rhodes represents what’s wrong with the product.
That could have been interesting… if it came from someone who actually belongs in that role.
Instead, it feels like:
- A forced celebrity angle
- A shortcut to create buzz
- A distraction from a story that already had heat
And the worst part? The crowd reaction wasn’t even strong. Reports showed mixed or underwhelming responses to the reveal.
That’s a huge red flag heading into WrestleMania.
WWE Keeps Overcomplicating Simple Stories
This is the bigger issue.
WWE had a clean, emotional, easy-to-follow story:
- Orton betrays Cody
- Orton becomes more violent
- Cody fights from underneath as champion
That’s it. That’s your WrestleMania main event.
Instead, WWE:
- Added Jelly Roll for crossover appeal
- Built a mystery angle that led nowhere meaningful
- Inserted Pat McAfee into a feud he has no real connection to
Why?
Because WWE cannot help itself. It always has to “add more” instead of making what’s already there better.
This Is Hurting Cody Rhodes More Than Anyone
Let’s be real about something.
Cody Rhodes is already in a weird spot as champion.
Some fans are turning on him. Others are just… tired.
So what does WWE do?
They:
- Give him a feud that should elevate him
- Then dilute it with distractions
- Then make the focus about Pat McAfee
It makes Cody feel secondary in his own title story.
That’s insane.
Your WWE Champion heading into WrestleMania should feel like the center of the universe. Instead, he’s getting kicked low by a part-time personality while the crowd tries to figure out why any of this matters.
Even Randy Orton Feels Less Important Now
And somehow, this hurts Orton too.
Randy Orton has been incredible in this run:
- More vicious
- More calculated
- Actually feeling dangerous again
He didn’t need a mouthpiece.
He didn’t need backup.
The whole point was that Orton is the threat.
Now?
He’s sharing the spotlight with Pat McAfee cutting promos about ratings and “saving wrestling.”
It makes Orton feel less like the apex predator and more like part of a weird tag team nobody asked for.
WWE Is Missing the Point Completely
Here’s the reality.
Fans didn’t want:
- Jelly Roll involvement
- A mystery angle payoff like this
- Pat McAfee in a WrestleMania main event storyline
Fans wanted Cody Rhodes vs Randy Orton.
That’s it.
And instead of trusting that story, WWE turned it into something bloated, confusing, and honestly kind of embarrassing.
There’s still time to fix it. There always is.
But right now?
This feels like WWE once again overthinking something that should have been simple.
And in the process, they’ve taken a potentially great WrestleMania feud…
…and made it feel like a sideshow.
