With WrestleMania now in the rearview, attention has quickly shifted to the fallout from WWE’s biggest event of the year—and it looks like Pat McAfee may be one of the first major pivots coming out of the weekend.
Leading up to WrestleMania, the reveal that McAfee was the mystery person Randy Orton had been referencing didn’t exactly land the way WWE may have hoped. Instead of excitement, many fans were left scratching their heads. That confusion only grew after McAfee delivered a pair of promos that were widely criticized, including comments that seemed to take aim at the product itself.
Fan reaction turned negative in a hurry, and according to Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer, that response may have forced WWE to rethink its plans in real time. While McAfee was generating buzz, it reportedly wasn’t the kind of heat the company was aiming for. Meltzer noted that WWE ultimately “backed off” the storyline, suggesting that whatever direction was originally planned got scrapped once it became clear the audience wasn’t buying in.
There had been talk of a tag team match at Backlash featuring Cody Rhodes and celebrity guest Jelly Roll teaming up against Orton and McAfee. However, Meltzer indicated there were no clear signs at WrestleMania that such a match was still on track, reinforcing the idea that the company pulled back on the angle altogether.
Despite the pivot, McAfee’s involvement did bring extra attention to WrestleMania, which may have been part of WWE’s initial goal. Still, the situation highlights how quickly plans can change when fan reaction doesn’t align with expectations.
Injury concerns may have also played a role in the shifting landscape. Orton was reportedly dealing with some level of physical issues heading into the event, though the severity remains unclear. Meanwhile, Cody Rhodes appeared worse for wear after his match, with noticeable swelling around his eye. That injury has already impacted his schedule, as a planned fan appearance was canceled, and his in-ring status moving forward is uncertain.
All in all, WrestleMania’s aftermath is already proving to be unpredictable, with WWE seemingly adjusting on the fly—starting with the sudden cooling of the McAfee storyline.
Pat McAfee’s involvement in the Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton feud heading into WrestleMania 42 is reportedly causing some quiet tension behind the scenes.
According to PWInsider, several WWE talents feel the rivalry between Rhodes and Orton already had more than enough built-in history, making McAfee’s addition feel unnecessary. The two have a deeply rooted storyline dating back years, and some within the locker room reportedly believe the match didn’t need an extra element to elevate it.
There’s also said to be some confusion over how the decision came together. Previous reports indicate McAfee’s role was pushed by higher-ups within TKO Group Holdings, rather than coming directly from WWE’s creative team led by Triple H. That distinction has only added to the perception that the storyline shift wasn’t entirely organic.
McAfee’s recent SmackDown appearance—where he delivered an unscripted promo tied into the feud—reportedly drew a mixed response backstage. While some appreciated the energy he brings, others weren’t sold on how the segment meshed with the ongoing WrestleMania build.
Another layer to the situation is the pressure it may be putting on Cody Rhodes. While there’s no indication Rhodes himself has spoken out, there is said to be some sympathy internally, with the belief that the added spotlight and expectations could complicate an already high-profile match.
As it stands, Rhodes vs. Orton is locked in for Night 1 of WrestleMania 42. Whether McAfee’s involvement ultimately enhances the story or proves to be a distraction remains to be seen, but it’s clearly a talking point within WWE as the biggest show of the year approaches.
WWE finally pulled back the curtain on one of the more intriguing mysteries heading into WrestleMania 42, and the answer added a major twist to Randy Orton’s path to the Undisputed WWE Championship.
On this week’s episode of SmackDown from St. Louis, Orton’s hometown, it was revealed that Pat McAfee was the voice guiding “The Viper” during his recent backstage phone segments. But this wasn’t the same McAfee fans were used to—he returned with a noticeably more aggressive edge, aligning himself firmly with Orton and turning heel in the process.
The show kicked off with Orton addressing the crowd, making it clear he was fighting not just for himself, but for his family seated ringside. His attention quickly turned to Cody Rhodes, referencing Rhodes’ recent appearance on Raw. That confrontation didn’t take long to escalate, as Rhodes made his way to the ring and the two immediately came to blows.
That’s when things took a turn.
McAfee—sporting Orton merchandise—jumped into the fray and dropped Rhodes with a low blow, officially revealing himself as Orton’s backup. From there, McAfee unleashed a fiery promo, criticizing both Rhodes and the current state of WWE, while hyping Orton as the man destined to restore order. He even claimed responsibility for pushing Orton to “destroy everything” in his path.
The segment didn’t stop at just aligning with Orton. McAfee doubled down backstage, referring to Orton as the “GOAT” and reinforcing his belief that “The Legend Killer” is the one who can fix what he sees as a broken system under Rhodes’ leadership.
As if that wasn’t enough, McAfee took things a step further after the show by issuing a bold ultimatum on social media: if Orton fails to defeat Rhodes at WrestleMania 42, he’ll walk away from wrestling television entirely. The former commentator didn’t mince words, calling out fans while framing the match as one of the most important in wrestling history.
Interestingly, McAfee’s return comes after months of uncertainty regarding his WWE future. He previously cited burnout and suggested the industry might be better off without him. Now, he’s back in a major storyline with a completely different attitude—and a lot on the line.
Behind the scenes, reports indicate this pairing wasn’t a standard creative decision. Instead, the move reportedly came directly from TKO executive Ari Emanuel, who sees McAfee as a crossover star capable of boosting visibility for WWE’s biggest event of the year. There’s also hope that McAfee’s mainstream presence—especially through his ESPN platform—can help bring additional attention to WrestleMania weekend.
Meanwhile, Cody Rhodes isn’t backing down. After the attack, he returned later in the night with a chilling message of his own, hinting that he has “voices” guiding him as well—and suggesting Orton may not like what they’re telling him to do.
With Orton chasing his 15th world title, McAfee putting his career on the line, and Rhodes promising a darker side of himself, this WrestleMania clash is quickly becoming one of the most emotionally charged matchups on the card.
WrestleMania season just took a major hit. On Friday night’s WWE SmackDown, Kevin Owens delivered a heartbreaking update: he’s undergoing neck surgery and will be sidelined indefinitely — including missing out on a highly anticipated showdown with Randy Orton at WrestleMania 41.
SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis opened the segment, setting a somber tone and reminding fans why WWE always warns against trying this at home. Aldis then brought Owens to the ring so the former Universal Champion could break the news himself.
Owens revealed that he’s been quietly battling a neck injury for the past four months but only recently discovered the full extent of the damage. The diagnosis? Surgery is required — and the timing couldn’t be worse. Owens admitted that missing WrestleMania stings, especially since he was set to face a legend like Randy Orton on the grandest stage of them all.
In an emotional moment, Owens thanked WWE for letting him speak directly to the fans, unsure of when he’ll be able to perform in front of them again. He expressed his gratitude and apologized, visibly emotional as he walked away.
But the moment didn’t end there.
As Owens made his exit, Orton’s music hit. The Viper walked to the ring and locked eyes with Owens on the apron. No words were exchanged — just a silent, mutual moment of respect. With Owens gone, Aldis told Orton the reality of the situation: with Owens out, Orton has no WrestleMania opponent.
Orton’s answer? A thunderous RKO to the General Manager.
While Owens begins his road to recovery, the question now looms large: what’s next for Randy Orton heading into WrestleMania 41? And more importantly, when — or if — we’ll see KO back in the ring.
Stay with Wrestling News Blog for updates on Owens’ recovery.
Pwinsider is reporting that according to multiple WWE sources, the situation is serious, with Owens likely needing surgery — potentially spinal fusion.
Men’s Elimination Chamber: John Cena def. CM Punk, Drew McIntyre, Logan Paul, Damian Priest, and Seth Rollins
Cody Rhodes refuses to sell his soul to the Rock… but John Cena is more than happy to.
WWE’s Road to WrestleMania took a jaw-dropping turn at Elimination Chamber 2025, delivering brutal showdowns, a monstrous return, and one of the most shocking betrayals in recent memory. With two Chamber matches determining title challengers for The Grandest Stage of Them All, the night was already destined for fireworks—but nobody could’ve predicted the chaos that unfolded.
The Women’s Elimination Chamber match kicked off the night with six superstars vying for a chance to challenge for the WWE Women’s World Championship at WrestleMania. However, the match took a shocking turn before it could even get going.
Just as Liv Morgan and Naomi were set to start the match, Jade Cargill made her stunning return—and wasted no time making an impact. Instead of going after Morgan, Cargill viciously attacked Naomi, slamming her into the Lexan pod wall and leaving her unable to continue. As a result, Naomi was eliminated by forfeit before the action truly began.
From there, chaos reigned. Bianca Belair, furious over the attack on Naomi, tried to regain her focus while battling Liv Morgan, Roxanne Perez, Bayley, and Alexa Bliss. In a brutal series of eliminations, Bayley was taken out by Morgan, Perez fell to Bliss, and Morgan capitalized on an opening to eliminate Bliss.
The final two came down to Belair and Morgan, and despite Liv’s relentless offense, the EST of WWE proved why she’s one of the most dominant forces in the division. Belair planted Morgan with the KOD for the win, securing her spot at WrestleMania.
But the night wasn’t over for Belair. As she celebrated, WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley and IYO SKY emerged on the stage, staring down the new No. 1 contender in an intense moment that signaled the battle ahead.
Tiffany Stratton & Trish Stratus Score a Huge Win Over Nia Jax & Candice LeRae
The unexpected pairing of Tiffany Stratton and Trish Stratus proved to be a force to be reckoned with as they took on Nia Jax and Candice LeRae in tag team action.
Jax dominated early, but Stratton and Stratus worked seamlessly together to wear down their opponents. After an intense back-and-forth, Stratton sealed the victory by hitting the Prettiest Moonsault Ever on Nia Jax for the pin. With this win, Stratton continues to prove she belongs among WWE’s elite.
Kevin Owens Survives a War with Sami Zayn, Only to Face the Viper’s Wrath
In what was nothing short of an all-out war, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn tore each other apart in an Unsanctioned Match that saw steel chairs, tables, and even barbed wire come into play.
Owens ultimately secured the win after a brutal apron powerbomb, but the violence didn’t stop there. KO continued his assault on Zayn post-match, ripping the protective mats off the floor—only to be interrupted by Randy Orton!
The Viper stormed the ring and dropped Owens with an RKO, teasing an even more vicious attack. As Orton geared up for his infamous Punt Kick, a swarm of WWE officials and security rushed in to prevent him from delivering the final blow. A frustrated Orton took out several security guards with RKOs before finally leaving the ring, setting the stage for what could be a heated rivalry in the weeks to come.
John Cena Outlasts the Men’s Elimination Chamber, But His Night Was Far From Over
The Men’s Elimination Chamber match featured some of WWE’s biggest names battling for a chance to challenge for the WWE Undisputed Championship at WrestleMania.
The match started with Drew McIntyre and Seth Rollins, but as the chambers opened, Damian Priest, Logan Paul, John Cena, and finally CM Punk entered the fray.
Eliminations came fast and furious, with McIntyre and Priest both taken out early, followed by Logan Paul falling to Punk’s Go to Sleep. After an intense exchange, Rollins was eliminated by Punk, leaving Cena and Punk as the final two.
In a shocking turn of events, Cena locked Punk in the STF, forcing a referee stoppage to become the No. 1 contender. But his night wasn’t over yet.
As Cena celebrated, Cody Rhodes made his entrance, setting up a dramatic face-off for the WrestleMania main event. However, what happened next stunned the entire WWE Universe.
John Cena Shocks the World, Aligns with The Rock in Brutal Betrayal of Cody Rhodes
Just as it seemed like WrestleMania’s main event was set in stone, The Rock made his way to the ring, offering Cody Rhodes a chilling ultimatum—either embrace him as his champion, or watch his dreams die again.
Rhodes, showing his signature defiance, responded with a full-throated rejection, telling The Rock to go f* himself.** The crowd erupted, but what followed was pure chaos.
Cena—who had just earned his shot at the Undisputed WWE Championship—blindsided Rhodes with a vicious low blow. The 16-time world champion then went on a rampage, repeatedly assaulting Cody with his own wristwatch, a microphone, and finally, the championship title itself.
With The Rock watching on with a sinister smile, Cena wrapped Cody’s tie around his throat and choked him, bringing back haunting memories of his past brutality.
To add insult to injury, Travis Scott, the WWE Hardcore Champion, got in on the assault, landing stiff shots on Cody. The Rock then took Rhodes’ weight belt—engraved with the date of Dusty Rhodes’ passing—and whipped Cody mercilessly.
As Cena, Rock, and Scott stood tall on the ramp, the camera lingered on Cody—a bloody, broken mess in the ring, staring up at the championship that had just been stolen from him.
The message was clear: John Cena is no longer the hero WWE fans once knew. With WrestleMania 41 on the horizon, the biggest question now is—how will Cody Rhodes respond to this unthinkable betrayal?
Final Thoughts: The Road to WrestleMania Just Got Personal
With Elimination Chamber 2025 in the books, the Road to WrestleMania has taken a dramatic, violent turn. Bianca Belair and John Cena have secured their title shots, but the bigger story is the Cena-Rock alliance and their merciless assault on Cody Rhodes.
With WrestleMania 41 fast approaching, WWE’s top stars are locking in their spots for the grandest stage of them all. Now, a new report suggests that Randy Orton could soon be back in the mix, just in time for the event in Las Vegas, Nevada.
According to PWInsider Elite, Orton is expected to return to WWE by March, potentially making his in-ring comeback during WWE’s Road to WrestleMania tour in Europe. This timeline would put “The Viper” on track to compete at WrestleMania itself, marking his 19th appearance at WWE’s biggest event.
Orton’s Road to Recovery and a Potential Owens Feud
Orton has been out of action since November 2024 after WWE says he suffered a cervical cord neurapraxia following a brutal piledriver from Kevin Owens. The injury put a sudden halt to Orton’s momentum, but with WWE officials reportedly expecting his return soon, the speculation has already begun about what his WrestleMania match could look like.
One likely scenario? A showdown with Owens. The two superstars initially teamed up heading into WrestleMania 40, joining forces with Cody Rhodes to battle The Bloodline. However, after Owens turned on Rhodes at Bash in Berlin, he also betrayed Orton, setting the stage for a heated rivalry. With Owens already set to face Sami Zayn in an unsanctioned match at Elimination Chamber this weekend, Orton could make his return soon after to reignite their unfinished business.
Orton’s WrestleMania Legacy Continues
If Orton does compete at WrestleMania 41, it will further solidify his status as one of WWE’s most consistent performers on the grandest stage. With 18 previous WrestleMania matches, he trails only Triple H (23 WrestleMania appearances) and The Undertaker (27 WrestleMania appearances) in all-time history.
Despite missing WrestleMania 32 (2016) and WrestleMania 39 (2023), Orton has been a fixture at the event ever since his first appearance at WrestleMania 20 in 2004. Whether he faces Owens or another top WWE star, his return would add another major name to an already stacked WrestleMania 41 card.
With March right around the corner, Orton’s return could be imminent—will he get revenge on Owens, or does WWE have another plan in store for “The Viper”? Stay tuned as the Road to WrestleMania heats up!
Fightful Select is reporting that after being out of action from WWE for a year and a half before returning to WWE at Survivor Series last weekend, he might end up sticking around for longer than originally expected.
Orton was teasing free agency for the first time in 2019, before ultimately putting pen-to-paper on a new five-year WWE contract at a time when the company was mass-signing several talents to long-term deals. One particular WWE source noted he would be surprised if the company didn’t extend Orton’s current deal.
The original WWE contract for Orton was scheduled to last until the Fall of 2024, which would put him around one-year remaining. After missing nearly 18 months, there is a strong possibility that WWE could add “injury time” to the deal, which would keep him locked up by the company until 2026. Having said that, it is not a guarantee that this is how things will play out.
There have been similar situations in the past where talents were injured but didn’t have time added to their existing contracts because they worked in other roles, or in some other capacity that involved company-related projects or efforts. It is believed that the situation with Orton right now is not like those, however, and that it is ultimately up to the company as to whether or not they go the former route or the latter.
The WarGames team of Drew McIntyre and The Judgment Day may have the advantage to start out the match at Survivor Series, but the team is also going to up against a viper.
McIntyre took on Jey Uso in a WarGames Advantage Match on “WWE Raw,” and won clean with a Future Shock DDT. With the win, The Judgment Day’s team will have the numbers advantage at the beginning of the match on Saturday. After the match and subsequent beat down, however, the opposing team ran down to the ring to help out their teammate. After they cleared the ring, Cody Rhodes got on the mic and announced that a friend with whom he has a “legacy” with would be joining their team. Rhodes said their final teammate is an “apex predator,” and while he didn’t outright say it would be Randy Orton will be backing them up on Saturday, he did hear the crowd’s “Randy” chants and add, “They’re right.”
Orton has been out of action for well over a year with a lower back injury that required surgery. Sidelined since May with an injury that had doctors telling him he would never wrestle again, Orton will make his return at the premium live event, which will emanate from the Allstate Arena in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Illinois.
It’s been almost 17 months since fans saw Randy Orton in a WWE ring, but if the latest murmurs are true, “The Viper’s” extended absence is coming to an end. Fightful Select is reporting that Orton and WWE are circling Survivor Series, which takes place November 25 in Chicago, as the date for the former WWE Champion’s return. Fightful previously reported that Orton was seen at the WWE Performance Center in September.
Orton last wrestled on the episode of “WWE SmackDown” that took place on May 20, 2022. That was the night “SmackDown” Tag Team Champions Jimmy and Jey Uso defeated Orton and Matt Riddle for the “Raw” Tag Team Championship, resulting in the titles being unified (still the case as of this writing). Orton and Riddle were beaten down by The Bloodline after the match, which served to write Orton off television. If November 25 is truly his return date, “The Apex Predator” will be back exactly one year after it was reported that he had undergone back fusion surgery.
It’s difficult to overstate how much WWE has changed in the time Orton has been gone, a period that has included Vince McMahon’s retirement, Vince McMahon’s return, and the merger of WWE and UFC into TKO Group Holdings under the broader umbrella of Ari Emanuel’s Endeavor. As a result, it’s unclear what role a returned Orton would play in the current landscape — even Riddle, his tag team partner for more than a year before his injury, was recently released from the company. But it’s worth noting that creative plans for Orton before he was put on the shelf reportedly involved an Undisputed WWE Universal Champion match with Roman Reigns at SummerSlam 2022, and Reigns’ title reign is, ironically, one of the few things that hasn’t changed in Orton’s absence.
Randy Orton has been spotted at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, FL in recent weeks.
According to a report from Pwinsider, numerous people training at the Performance Center have seen Orton at the facility over the past few weeks. The Viper has been spotted in the building and is often seen working out in the gym at the facility.
It’s worth noting that as of August, Orton had not been cleared for a return.
Finally, it was added that WWE has a very strict rule that talent who are returning have to work out in some capacity. As of this writing, there is no word on when Randy Orton will be making his return to WWE television. Of course, it’s obviously a good sign to see that he’s back at the Performance Center and beginning to work out again.
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