As noted, Pat McAfee revealed himself as the mystery man advising Randy Orton during the April 3 episode of WWE SmackDown.

During the segment, McAfee aligned with Orton and attacked Cody Rhodes, declaring that the business is in decline under Rhodes’ leadership. He made it clear that he believes Orton will restore it by defeating Rhodes at WrestleMania 42 to become Undisputed WWE Champion.

McAfee’s involvement adds a new layer to the storyline heading into WrestleMania, positioning him as a key figure in Orton’s corner as the rivalry with Rhodes continues to escalate.

Following SmackDown, McAfee took to social media and raised the stakes even further with a bold promise tied to the outcome of the match.

“I will make a deal with the IWC now..If @RandyOrton doesn’t win at Mania.. I will NEVER be seen OR HEARD on wrestling television AGAIN,” he wrote.

The statement adds additional intrigue to Orton’s title challenge, as McAfee has now publicly tied his future on wrestling television to the result at WrestleMania 42.

With the event approaching, McAfee’s ultimatum increases the spotlight on the match and further intensifies the storyline surrounding Orton’s pursuit of the championship.

Pat McAfee Says He’ll Leave WWE if Randy Orton Loses to Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania

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Uncle Howdy walked away with the lantern on the April 3 episode of WWE SmackDown, but the outcome was shaped by rising tensions between Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga.

The situation developed throughout the night, with Solo refusing to give up possession of the lantern. Tama openly questioned why they were even fighting over it, pointing out that it had only created problems. That disagreement quickly turned into visible frustration between the two before the match even took place.

Later in the show, Howdy faced Tama Tonga in a match centered around control of the lantern. Despite previously saying he would stay backstage, Solo appeared at ringside holding the lantern, creating a distraction that added to the already tense dynamic.

Howdy ultimately secured the win with Sister Abigail, but the real turning point came immediately after the match. Solo and Tama began arguing at ringside, with Tama clearly upset that Solo interfered against his wishes.

The confrontation escalated when Tama grabbed the lantern from Solo and placed it in the ring. That decision gave Howdy the opening he needed to reclaim it. Tama then physically held Solo back, preventing him from getting involved as Howdy picked up the lantern and left.

With the lantern back in Howdy’s possession, the focus now shifts to the fractured relationship between Solo and Tama. Their disagreement played a direct role in the outcome, and the tension between them now appears to be reaching a breaking point.

As SmackDown moves closer to WrestleMania 42, the fallout from this situation could have larger implications, especially with both men now clearly at odds following the events of April 3.

Uncle Howdy Regains Lantern as Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga Tensions Boil Over on SmackDown

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Ticket sales for WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas continue to be a major topic of discussion, with new data indicating the event is still behind last year’s pace.

According to Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, both nights of WrestleMania have yet to match the ticket distribution levels seen at the same point in 2025. WWE has already attempted to boost sales through limited-time discounts and by announcing John Cena as the event’s host, but momentum has slowed again after an initial bump.

Current figures show 38,711 tickets distributed for night one and 40,333 for night two. These totals include both paid tickets and complimentary distributions. Overall, that places WrestleMania 42 approximately 18 percent behind last year’s numbers at this stage.

On the secondary market, prices to attend remain relatively accessible compared to previous years. The lowest available ticket for night one is listed at $179, while night two starts at $199. Meltzer noted that night two appears to be performing slightly better, crediting interest in top stars like CM Punk and Roman Reigns.

Despite the slower pace, projections still suggest that both nights could draw at least 50,000 fans to Allegiant Stadium.

However, the outlook is less optimistic for the surrounding events. The April 17 episode of WWE SmackDown and the April 20 episode of WWE RAW will take place at T-Mobile Arena, where current ticket distribution stands at 5,749 for SmackDown and 7,329 for RAW.

With WrestleMania week approaching, it remains to be seen whether WWE can close the gap in ticket sales or if the event will ultimately fall short of last year’s benchmark.

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The identity behind Randy Orton’s mystery phone calls heading into WrestleMania 42 was revealed during the April 3 episode of WWE SmackDown — and it turned out to be a returning Pat McAfee.

The show opened in Orton’s hometown of St. Louis, where he addressed the crowd following a recap of the recent segment involving Cody Rhodes and Stephanie McMahon on RAW at Madison Square Garden. Orton said he was motivated by his family at ringside before turning his focus to Rhodes, making it clear their issues were far from over.

Rhodes quickly made his way to the ring, and the two began brawling. The situation escalated when McAfee appeared and inserted himself into the confrontation, officially aligning with Orton.

Now portraying a heel, McAfee struck Rhodes with a low blow before delivering a promo that targeted both Rhodes and WWE as a whole. During his remarks, McAfee mocked the city’s sports teams and questioned the current state of WWE programming, despite Orton’s presence.

He then revealed himself as the person who had been speaking to Orton behind the scenes, stating that he had been urging “The Viper” to “kill everything.” McAfee framed his involvement as more than just supporting Orton’s pursuit of a 15th world title, instead positioning it as a mission to fix what he described as a broken product.

McAfee said the business Rhodes represents is “terrible” and declared that Orton is the one who will “save the f***** business.”* The segment firmly established the two as allies heading into WrestleMania 42.

A brief backstage segment later in the show reinforced the partnership, with McAfee again referencing “the business” while emphasizing Orton’s legacy and calling him the “GOAT.”

The reveal brings a major twist to Orton’s storyline and adds a new dynamic to his ongoing feud with Rhodes as WrestleMania approaches.

Pat McAfee Revealed as Randy Orton’s Mystery Caller on SmackDown

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