Randy Orton’s Mystery Ally Revealed; WWE Official Reacts With One-Word Message
Randy Orton’s mystery ally has been revealed, and it is none other than Pat McAfee.
Pat McAfee stepped away from the WWE world last year, but now he has returned. He made a surprise comeback on the April 3, 2026, episode of Friday Night SmackDown during Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes’ opening segment.
The Apex Predator kicked off the show in his hometown of St. Louis, where he addressed his upcoming WrestleMania 42 match against Cody Rhodes. Moments later, Cody Rhodes interrupted his promo, and the two traded blows. When Rhodes gained the upper hand, Pat McAfee made a surprise return, and he was wearing an RKO shirt. He entered the ring and low-blowed Rhodes, officially aligning with The Viper.
As Randy Orton continued his attack on Cody Rhodes, Pat McAfee cut a controversial promo. He revealed that he was the mystery caller Orton had been talking to for the past few weeks. McAfee then criticized the current state of WWE, stating that the product has gone soft, the ratings are low, and WrestleMania 42 ticket sales are not doing very well.
Adam Pearce Reacts To Pat McAfee Joining Hands With Randy Orton
McAfee declared that his mission was to save the business, and that is why he aligned with the 14-time world champion. Following Pat McAfee’s return, RAW General Manager Adam Pearce went online to share his one-word reaction to the unexpected segment.
Patrick. https://t.co/WPacOUJP0r
— Adam Pearce (@ScrapDaddyAP) April 4, 2026
Later in the night on WWE SmackDown, Cody Rhodes returned to the ring and cut a shoot promo where he addressed Pat McAfee’s attack. Rhodes also expressed his frustration with TKO management, who inserted McAfee into his storyline.
According to recent reports, it was TKO CEO Ari Emanuel who decided to bring McAfee into Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton’s storyline to boost corporate synergy ahead of WrestleMania’s broadcast debut on ESPN. It was also revealed that McAfee’s promo was unscripted, and Triple H and co. had no idea he was going to say all this on live television.