Summary

Cody Rhodes did not offer a direct answer when he was asked whether he had any ability to push back on Pat McAfee being added to his WrestleMania 42 program with Randy Orton.

McAfee was brought into the story on the April 3 episode of *WWE SmackDown* when he was revealed as the mystery caller speaking to Orton. Since then, the angle has drawn criticism from parts of the fanbase, and Damian Priest has also publicly knocked the direction.

While speaking with Jimmy Traina, Rhodes was asked if he could resist that creative decision. His response avoided a straight yes or no, but he did acknowledge the question and then shifted to how much support he has felt from other wrestlers during the backlash.

Quote from Cody Rhodes

"That's an interesting question. I'd say that's an interesting question. I'll just leave it. That's a fair question. I didn't know the boys were out there. Priest, I love that. That's funny. He's a good egg. I had a wrestler yesterday who whispered in my ear like it was the 1980s and we were getting into a fight, Royce Keys told me, 'I got your back no matter what.' I was in the middle of signing my weight belts. We're good. It's okay. Now, I know that, so that made me feel really good. The respect of your peers. You can't beat that."

What it means for Cody Rhodes and WrestleMania 42

Rhodes not shutting the question down completely matters because it keeps attention on McAfee's involvement, not just on the title match with Orton. That is notable this close to WrestleMania 42, especially after Rhodes has already questioned Pat McAfee's place in the Randy Orton story.

The other clear takeaway is that WWE talent reaction has become part of the conversation around this feud. Rhodes framed that support as meaningful, which gives this story an added backstage dimension beyond the usual final-week hype for a WrestleMania title defense.

WrestleMania 42 setup

Rhodes is set to defend the Undisputed WWE Title against Orton at WrestleMania 42, with McAfee aligned with Orton heading into the match.

Sources

Cody Rhodes while speaking with Jimmy Traina