Randy Orton Cuts Scathing Promo on Cody Rhodes Before WrestleMania Main Event

The Viper lays out grievances against his former friend in attempt to save the big match

Apr. 18, 2026 at 12:38am

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A fragmented, abstract painting featuring sharp, angular shapes and planes in a variety of colors, conceptually representing the intense confrontation between two professional wrestlers.The heated rivalry between WWE superstars Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes explodes in a cubist-inspired illustration capturing the raw energy and tension of their WrestleMania main event showdown.Los Angeles Today

On the go-home episode of SmackDown before WrestleMania, Randy Orton delivered a blistering promo aimed at his opponent Cody Rhodes, outlining a long list of grievances against his former friend. Orton claimed Rhodes has always taken from him while giving little in return, including not even calling Orton to be his partner at a previous WrestleMania. However, Orton still felt the need to shoehorn in a reference to his new ally Pat McAfee, undermining his attempt to save the main event story.

Why it matters

The Orton-Rhodes match was supposed to be a highly anticipated main event at WrestleMania, but the addition of Pat McAfee to the angle has soured many fans on the storyline. Orton's promo was an attempt to refocus the narrative and remind viewers of the deep history between the two former partners, but the continued McAfee involvement threatens to undermine those efforts.

The details

In the opening segment of SmackDown, Orton first took issue with Rhodes 'giving him permission' to be himself again during their contract signing. He then listed a number of ways Rhodes has taken advantage of him over the years, including choosing Seth Rollins as his partner at a previous WrestleMania instead of Orton, and putting his body on the line to help Rhodes in feuds against The Bloodline and Kevin Owens. However, Orton still felt the need to praise McAfee's contributions to his career, saying the analyst has done more for him than Rhodes ever did.

  • The Orton-Rhodes match is scheduled for the main event of WrestleMania on April 18, 2026.
  • The go-home episode of SmackDown aired on April 17, 2026, the night before WrestleMania.

The players

Randy Orton

A veteran WWE superstar known as 'The Viper' who is challenging Cody Rhodes for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania.

Cody Rhodes

The current WWE Champion who is defending his title against Randy Orton in the main event of WrestleMania.

Pat McAfee

A former NFL punter who has become a prominent analyst and commentator for WWE, and has recently aligned himself with Randy Orton.

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What they’re saying

“That cocky son of a bitch gave me permission to be myself again. I don't need his permission.”

— Randy Orton

“The only thing Cody Rhodes ever did for me was drag me down.”

— Randy Orton

What’s next

Cody Rhodes is scheduled to appear later in the SmackDown episode to respond to Orton's scathing promo.

The takeaway

Orton's promo was a strong attempt to refocus the WrestleMania main event storyline on the long-standing tension and history between himself and Cody Rhodes. However, the continued involvement of Pat McAfee threatens to undermine those efforts and leave many fans dissatisfied with the build to this marquee match.