Randy Orton’s Original WrestleMania 42 Plans Involved Aleister Black Instead of Pat McAfee

Randy Orton could have had Aleister Black in his ears heading into WrestleMania if it weren't for Pat McAfee's TKO-backed injection in the feud.

Randy Orton’s Original WrestleMania 42 Plans Involved Aleister Black Instead of Pat McAfee

Aleister Black was discussed for a Pat McAfee-type role with Randy Orton [via- WWE]

Randy Orton had several interactions with Aleister Black on SmackDown around the Elimination Chamber, and it was supposed to have a substantial payoff. As per a new report from PWInsider, WWE had slotted Black in a role that would’ve seen him trying to elicit the evil side of Orton. Black succeeding in his plans would’ve proven that Orton truly never changed deep inside.

The creative pitch was letting them have a match around WrestleMania with the ‘Legend Killer’ possibly losing due to being conflicted about using the Punt kick. It would lead to Orton attacking Cody Rhodes to build toward their WrestleMania match and Orton employing the Punt kick to turn things in his favor. ‘The Viper’ reverting back to his old ways would’ve proven Black right.

But these plans fell through once the TKO executives passed down an edict to insert Pat McAfee in the mix. His integration drew severe backlash from the fans for ruining a high-caliber story with nearly two decades of history between Orton and Rhodes. McAfee also got involved in the actual WrestleMania match between the former Legacy stablemates.

The former NFL punter, however, ultimately caught the ire of ‘The Viper’, who dropped McAfee with an RKO to end their short-lived alliance. The slight distraction cost Orton the opportunity to capture his fifteenth world title as Rhodes hit the Cross Rhodes to remain the Undisputed WWE Champion.

Randy Orton broke character to check on Cody Rhodes after WrestleMania 42 went off air

The closing scene of WrestleMania Saturday this year could’ve been Cody Rhodes celebrating with the crowd. But that’s not how it ended. In fact, Randy Orton clobbered The American Nightmare’s skull with the WWE title belt before hitting the Punt kick on his once-beloved brother-like friend. Initial speculation on the internet suggested that Rhodes developed that gnarly cut above his left eye due to the Punt kick.

Randy Orton holding the WWE title after punt kicking Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania
Randy Orton holding the WWE title after punt kicking Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania [via- WWE]

However, it was later revealed through video evidence that one of Orton’s vicious punches did the damage. And to be precise, it was the one that ‘The Viper’ landed on Rhodes just before getting poked in the eye by the ‘QB1’. The effects of it weren’t immediate. It took several minutes for the wound to swell up. A video of Randy Orton breaking character to check on Cody Rhodes is going viral on social media.

As seen below, the 14-time world champion got down to a grounded Rhodes and seemingly exchanged a word or two with ‘The Prodigal Son’. Orton made sure he didn’t overdo his gesture, as it would’ve gone entirely against his kayfabe malignity for the erstwhile EVP of AEW. As things stand, Rhodes has suffered an orbital injury, and there is no current timetable for his return.

A handful of meet-and-greet pictures of Rhodes with the fans are in the public domain, and the area near his eye is all messed up. The ending to the first night of WrestleMania basically confirmed that Randy Orton is far from being done with chasing the WWE Championship.

He now seemed to have completely turned on Rhodes, as Orton claimed in an interview with Wade Barrett before WrestleMania that he still loved Rhodes like his brother. But the hunger of bolstering his wrestling legacy with more championship gold has apparently outweighed his personal relationship with Rhodes.

This will make up for a much better chapter two of what’s looking like a trilogy of their matches. As per his word, Pat McAfee will never be seen in WWE, which means that Orton could now dictate terms on his own in pursuit of taking down ‘The QB1’.

BodySlam has reported that ‘The Apex Predator’ was originally planned to dethrone ‘The American Nightmare’ this past Saturday night at WrestleMania. However, the company didn’t pull the trigger on it due to them knowing that this feud was going to continue past Mania.

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