Plans for the WrestleMania 42 Night One main event may have changed in a big way behind the scenes.
Undisputed WWE Champion “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes successfully retained his title this past Saturday, closing out the show with a hard-fought victory.
However, new reports suggest that the outcome fans saw wasn’t always the plan.
According to sources within WWE, Randy Orton was originally slated to defeat Rhodes at the event, which would have marked his milestone 15th world championship reign.
That’s a major shift.
In the weeks leading up to WrestleMania, WWE reportedly pivoted creatively. The decision was made to keep the title on Rhodes, with the expectation that his rivalry with Orton would continue beyond the show.
That change in direction also explains the post-match angle, where Orton snapped and laid out Rhodes with his signature punt kick, signaling that their issues are far from over.
The updated finish was said to reflect WWE’s long-term storytelling plans coming out of WrestleMania 42, opting to hold off on a title change for the time being.
Rhodes, notably, had only regained the championship a little over six weeks prior with a victory over Drew McIntyre on SmackDown, making a quick turnaround less likely once plans were re-evaluated.
As for Orton, his pursuit of a 15th world title isn’t over just yet.
With the feud expected to continue, “The Viper” could very well find himself right back in the title picture sooner rather than later.
(H/T: BodySlam+)
