Backstage Shakeup: The Real Reason WWE Finally Locked In Rhodes vs. Orton for WrestleMania 42
The road to WrestleMania 42 has been anything but a straight line, and the biggest secret behind the Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton main event has finally surfaced.
While The American Nightmare punched his ticket to The Show of Shows by taking down Drew McIntyre on Friday Night SmackDown, the story of how we got here is far more chaotic than fans realize. According to this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the decision for Rhodes to defend his Undisputed WWE Championship against The Viper wasn’t made lightly—in fact, it changed direction a staggering number of times before finally sticking just ahead of the Elimination Chamber.
For weeks, the WWE Universe was buzzing with speculation. Would it be Rhodes finishing his story against Roman Reigns inside Hell in a Cell? Or would the unexpected injury to Seth Rollins and the title switch to McIntyre throw a massive wrench into the plans?
Sources indicate that while the Hell in a Cell concept was heavily discussed for a potential Rhodes-Reigns rematch, those plans were scrapped when the landscape shifted. Once the company pivoted, the idea of Rhodes vs. Orton was floated, but it wasn’t an immediate yes. Insiders reveal the matchup was approved, rejected, and reconsidered four different times since it was first brought up.
So, what finally made it stick?
The decision reportedly crystalized during the first week of February, coinciding with the creative direction for Orton to win the Chamber match. It was at that moment that WWE committed to The Legend Killer chasing the one record that has eluded him. Interestingly, the report notes that the on-air mentions of Orton chasing John Cena’s title count weren’t just filler—they were the first breadcrumbs dropped when the idea was seriously being considered.
With the card now set for April 18 and 19, fans can expect a straight-up singles clash. Despite the weeks of guessing games involving multi-man matches, WWE has decided to keep it personal and keep it one-on-one.
As for McIntyre? Following his sudden loss on SmackDown, wrestling legend Booker T has shared his sympathy for the Scottish Warrior, who now finds himself on the outside looking in at the grandest stage of them all.
