Fans blast WWE and Triple H after Randy Orton’s mystery caller revealed as Pat McAfee on SmackDown (April 3, 2026)
(Courtesy : WWE.com)
Fans voice their disappointment online.
Randy Orton kicked off the April 3, 2026, edition of WWE SmackDown, which emanated from the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri. Cody Rhodes then walked out, igniting a brawl when Pat McAfee suddenly appeared.
McAftee then delivered a low blow to Rhodes and joined Orton in the beatdown. He then picked up the mic, cutting a promo and revealing that he was the mystery caller, saying he aligned with Orton because the business under Cody was failing and that Orton would be the one to save it.
“Cody, I’m the one on the phone telling Randy Orton he needs to kill everything and it’s not just for the 15th world title, it’s because the business you’re leading and HE is going to SAVE THE F*CKING BUSINESS!”
However, the reveal left WWE fans disappointed as they were hooked to the angle and were hoping for a big pay off, afterall it’s WrestleMania season.
The call to insert Pat McAfee in the storyline came from TKO brass
After the segment, fans voiced their disappointment online, with many criticizing the creative team and Triple H for letting them down. Some even called for a different main event for Night 1 of WrestleMania. noting that the angle has spoiled the feud.
Fans even drew parallels from Travis Scott’s involvement in the WrestleMania 41 feud between Cody Rhodes and John Cena. Some fans also called for Vince McMahon’s return, a sight very familiar in recent times due to poor creative choices from the promotion.
Even the video of the segment uploaded on WWE’s YouTube channel, which has garnered just over 300K views as of writing this article, has amassed a total of 14k likes and 26k dislikes and counting, a ratio confirming how fans feel about the reveal.
However, according to reports, WWE Creative has no part in McAfee’s inclusion, and the order came directly from the top.
According to PWInsider, sources indicated that McAfee aligning with Orton was a directive from TKO leadership to WWE creative, rather than a concept that originated within the creative team. The plan was reportedly approved by Triple H, and one source suggested the directive might have come from as high up as Ari Emanuel.
“Regarding the Pat McAfee reveal on SmackDown, those spoken to believe this was an edict from TKO brass to WWE creative, not an idea that originated in the WWE writing room, and was approved by Paul Levesque. One source believed the edict may have come from as far up as Ari Emanuel.”
On the other hand, sources told Bodyslam that Ari Emanuel sees McAfee as a star who can elevate the program between Orton and Rhodes, helping it reach its potential ahead of his ESPN show and the weekly SmackDown episodes leading into WrestleMania in two weeks.
This isn’t the first time Ari Emanuel has shown strong support for Pat McAfee, with Bloomberg reporting in February that Emanuel sees him as the next big crossover star and aims to mold him into the next “Sylvester Stallone.”
It remains to be seen whether WWE can make the angle work and salvage it, especially with the Road to WrestleMania 42 winding down and only two SmackDown episodes left before the ‘Grandest Stage of Them All.’
Who was revealed as Randy Orton’s mystery caller?
Pat McAfee was revealed as Randy Orton’s mystery caller on the April 3 edition of SmackDown.
Did the decision to involve Pat McAfee come from TKO?
Yes, per PWInsider, sources indicated that McAfee aligning with Orton was a directive from TKO leadership to WWE creative, rather than a concept that originated within the creative team. The plan was reportedly approved by Triple H, and one source suggested the directive might have come from as high up as Ari Emanuel.
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Abhijit Singh is a budding sports journalist with over three years of experience in the field, and a photographer capturing stories through his lens since 2018. With a background in philosophy and political science, he brings a thoughtful, analytical edge to his reporting where every word is guided by curiosity and intent. Whether he's capturing the emotion of a moment or unpacking the deeper narratives within the game, Abhijit’s work is rooted in insight and passion. When he’s not covering sports, he’s often exploring new ideas through reading, traveling or just procrastinating.