Pat McAfee was revealed as Randy Orton’s mystery caller on Friday’s SmackDown in St. Louis, attacking Cody Rhodes with a low blow and delivering a worked shoot promo ripping the current state of WWE’s product, its ratings, its WrestleMania ticket sales, and the Undisputed WWE Champion himself.
Orton opened the show in his hometown and addressed the crowd, saying the next time they see him in this arena, he will have his 15th world title firmly planted around his waist. He said he is not doing this for the fans. He is doing it for himself, for his family, and for the six people in the front row. He said Cody Rhodes is going home from WrestleMania empty handed.
Orton referenced what happened on Monday’s Raw with Stephanie McMahon and said Stephanie was right when she said Cody cannot beat him. “The voices are saying the same thing,” Orton said. “You are not a killer. What you have awoken inside of me, there is no putting back to bed.”
Cody Rhodes came out and the two traded punches, with Cody getting the advantage. That is when McAfee entered the ring and kicked Cody below the belt. McAfee and Orton exchanged a glance, confirming the alliance. Orton retrieved a chair and attacked Cody while McAfee grabbed the microphone.
McAfee immediately went after the St. Louis crowd, telling them the Rams left town, the Blues will not make the playoffs, and that the Blues are “ass.”
McAfee then explained why he is back. He said about a month ago he was doing a Q&A and was asked when he would return to WWE. McAfee said he thought the business had passed him by. He said the business he loved was “absolute shit.” He said Orton called him and told him it did not pass him by, it just went in a direction that they did not like.
McAfee asked why anyone has to watch two “5-foot-5 guys do a 45-minute iron man match” for ten weeks when Randy Orton is there. He asked why he has to watch people in gorilla when Orton is around. He asked why tickets are still available for WrestleMania when Orton is around. He said SmackDown is coming off its worst ratings and has a champion that is “a puppet.”
McAfee told Orton to kick Cody’s ass. He said he was the one on the phone telling Orton he had to kill everything. He said it was not just about the 15th world title. “The business you are leading is terrible and Randy is going to save the fucking business,” McAfee said.
WHAT THE?!@PatMcAfeeShow just attacked @CodyRhodes 😱@RandyOrton pic.twitter.com/NFHQYFd0iP
— WWE (@WWE) April 4, 2026
.@PatMcAfeeShow is going OFF! 😳 pic.twitter.com/nPcbkdiwpF
— WWE (@WWE) April 4, 2026
What is @RandyOrton whispering to @CodyRhodes?! 🤔 pic.twitter.com/TgjpJmO08o
— WWE (@WWE) April 4, 2026
