Expected VS Wanted: The Real Story Behind Orton, Rhodes, and WWE’s Most Divisive Twist

“We don’t hate surprises—we hate the ones we didn’t fantasy book ourselves.”

It’s been a wild ride on this year’s Road to WrestleMania. As has become the norm, WWE has tried its best to book an interesting, enjoyable card, but it’s become littered with controversy. The biggest and most recent – the inclusion of media superstar and former WWE commentator Pat McAfee into the main event of WrestleMania pitting Undisputed Champion Cody Rhodes against his former mentor, Randy Orton.

How did we get here? Well, after an unexpected Drew McIntyre title win over Rhodes in January, the Scottish Warrior continued to try and make Cody’s life miserable. In every big match that the American Nightmare was in, particularly the Royal Rumble and the Elimination Chamber, McIntyre would go out of his way to cost him possible victory. In a fit of (understandable) rage, Smackdown GM Nick Aldis overwrote the contract stipulation that said that Rhodes could never face McIntyre for the title as long as he was champion, and made one more match between the two – one that Rhodes was victorious.

In the meantime, Randy Orton had made his feelings known that his direct goal was to win the Undisputed Championship. Orton even showed dismay at Rhodes winning the championship back, expecting to fight McIntyre for the title – one of his rivals. And this is where the important part of the story begins, and where McAfee enters.

It’s no secret that Rhodes and Orton have a very long and storied history. Besides both men being second and third generation Superstars respectively, Orton has long been a mentor for Rhodes. Whether it’s in the ring as a member of the stable Legacy or outside of the ring as a big brother figure, Orton has shown very clearly his love and admiration for Rhodes. And on screen, Randy has gone out of his way to look out for Cody since his return. Orton has wanted to win his 15th world championship for years, but continued to not go out of his way to challenge for it in deference to Rhodes’s two long championship runs. Orton has jumped into multiple Rhodes feuds in support of the “QB1”, often getting himself into major issues and fights because of it. In every way, Randy Orton has shown that he has a soft spot for Cody Rhodes.

Enter the contract signing for their main event Undisputed Championship match at WrestleMania 42. Cody Rhodes did the absolute worst thing he could ever have dreamed of doing – he told Orton that he was ok with him being the best version of himself that he could be. Randy seemed simultaneously shocked and thrilled by this admission, and then proceeded to beat the absolute hell out of him. The phrase “Randy being Randy” was never more evident. But this beat down…this felt personal. And that’s because it absolutely is and it has to be. Orton has held himself back for years for Rhodes, and now, he has his moment. Pardon the pun, but it’s time for the Viper to strike while the iron is hot.

Now, how exactly does Pat McAfee, a former all-world NFL punter turned media maven turned WWE contributor fall into this decade plus long story? Well, it’s very simple. Pat was being a very, very good friend to someone he loves and respects. You have to remember the entire backstory that was just re-told to you. Orton’s one kryptonite, maybe in his entire career, has been Cody Rhodes. Cody turned Randy, dare I say, good. And to Randy Orton, good is weak. He spoke about this in one of his promos after the beatdown. He mentioned how he loves how the fans have embraced him in a different way than ever, singing his theme song in totality every time he comes to the ring. But to him, that’s the saddest feeling he could ever have. Why? Because Randy Orton is a cold blooded killer in that ring. That’s who he is and has to be to achieve the things that he’s achieved. It’s not a coincidence that Orton hasn’t won a world championship since 2020.

And McAfee knows that. And just like a good friend does, he reminded Orton of that. For those of you who don’t watch McAfee’s radio show on ESPN and YouTube, just a few weeks ago, Orton was a guest in Pat’s hometown of Indianapolis. And you could not just see the friendship and the chemistry, but you could clearly see the reverence that Pat and his “boys” had for the 14 time world champion. So how perfectly ironic was it that McAfee came to Orton’s aid in his hometown of St. Louis.

I understand that as a fan, there were many different possibilities and expectations of who the person was that Orton was talking to on the phone. The fact that Orton kept bringing up Rhodes’s phrase “wrestling has more than just one royal family” led viewers to believe that someone more established with a legacy would be on the other side. Add to this the fact that Stephanie McMahon, one of the only other third generation superstars, called out Rhodes on Raw in Madison Square Garden, pleading with him to take Orton seriously. But the most important thing that fans are missing is simple. This story is bigger than legacy. It’s bigger than a world championship. It’s a battle of philosophies.

Rhodes is very much the new guard of wrestler. He famously left a very comfortable and lucrative spot in WWE to reinvent himself, run the Independent circuit, and with the help of a “club”, started the biggest alternative wrestling company to the WWE in 20 years. He is very much a maverick and a trailblazer. Orton, however, is a mainstay. He’s been in the WWE since he was 20. He’s been given everything that the WWE has offered and lost even more. As a matter of fact, the WWE has supported Randy Orton so much that they’ve changed company policies for him. But despite all of that, he’s become the standard. Moreso now that legendary names like Undertaker, Michaels, Triple H, and Cena are now retired. Being the standard, however, comes with a burden. One that Orton hasn’t carried in 6 years. One that his protege, Rhodes, has taken from him.

The beauty of professional wrestling is that it can often mimic real life, whether on purpose or organically. And in this instance, the general tenor of our society is based on the old guard and their ideals versus the new generation and the progressiveness in their thinking. And that has become the overarching theme in this feud. Cody is the new top star. Loved by fans and the company alike. And then there’s ol’ Randy, supposedly having a “legacy” run, who instead wants more. And who Pat McAfee thinks deserves more.

It’s a funny thing with fans and our feelings on what types of storylines and content we’re given. We often want surprises, but when the surprise isn’t what we hoped or expected, we don’t like the surprise. And we don’t want them to spoil the surprises, but get upset when nobody had any idea the surprise was going to happen. The dichotomy of fans – the contrast between thoughts and opinions – has become one that has unfortunately put the wrestling world caught in the middle. Now, it’s not just old guard VS new generation or legacy VS progress. Instead, it’s expected VS wanted. And as evidenced by this much maligned storyline, that dichotomy is further apart than ever.

FIN

@itsreycash