Cody Rhodes Goes at Pat McAfee

Cody Rhodes came on the show and went straight at Pat McAfee. The WWE champion said the image of McAfee holding up his belt next to Randy Orton, the man he is actually wrestling at WrestleMania 42, might be the most offensive picture in wrestling history. He put it alongside the Gobbledy Gooker and David Arquette winning the world championship. It is a list nobody wants to be on.

Rich, half-joking, floated a plan. Just fly to Indianapolis and take the belt back from the Thunderdome. Rhodes walked through the logistics like a man who has thought about it. He has not been inside, but he knows the old studio. He would knock on the door. He would bring backup, because McAfee runs deep, with something like 11 guys on the show and another 11 in the room. Rich volunteered Northeast backup and a kendo stick. Rhodes approved the grip.

The real question came from Chris Brockman. The Randy Orton story, teacher and student, young Jedi and old, was already written. McAfee being inserted into it is interference. Rhodes did not dodge it. He pointed out that his WrestleMania runs have always had outside noise. Travis Scott last year. The Rock the year before. Being a Cody Rhodes fan during WrestleMania season means signing up for that.

Rhodes also gave McAfee the ESPN context. WWE is on ESPN for the first time, and McAfee is part of that pipeline. Does it fit a 20-year wrestler-on-wrestler story? No. But McAfee thinks it does, and now McAfee has the title.

Then Rhodes opened a new door. Maybe this is the moment he changes. He has spent years saying he cannot do heel work. After a while, the audience almost expects the good guy to snap. WrestleMania is the postseason, the biggest thing they do, and the match will be great with or without McAfee. He expects McAfee to show up Saturday night regardless. McAfee is on the poster somehow.

He closed with the required compliment. McAfee is a punter, a trained foot, a pro's pro and a massive entertainer. Then he pivoted right back. Hardcore fans, casual fans, cinema-style fans, high-spot fans, every lane of wrestling fan agrees for the first time in history. They want Randy Orton at WrestleMania. They do not want Pat McAfee anywhere near it.

Rhodes kept it clean at the end. Someone in McAfee's room of 55 should have said no. Maybe announce the attendance. Maybe sing America the Beautiful. Instead, McAfee chose to step in with Randy Orton. His choice has been entertaining so far. Rhodes said he loved putting him to the fire on the mic last week, and he will find out Saturday if McAfee can swim.