Cody Rhodes Highlights Outside Involvement in His WrestleMania Main Events

The Undisputed WWE Champion points out a trend of unexpected guests crashing his biggest matches.

Apr. 18, 2026 at 7:59pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting the chaotic energy of a WWE wrestling match, with the figures of Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton fractured and abstracted into sharp, overlapping planes of color.Cody Rhodes' WrestleMania title defenses have become unpredictable affairs, with outside figures like The Rock and Travis Scott crashing the party.Philadelphia Today

Cody Rhodes, the current Undisputed WWE Champion, has noticed a recurring trend of outside interference or involvement in his WrestleMania main event matches over the past few years. In a recent interview, Rhodes highlighted how his title matches at the last three WrestleMania events have all featured surprise appearances or interference from figures like The Rock, Travis Scott, and now Pat McAfee, who will be in Randy Orton's corner for their upcoming title clash at WrestleMania 42.

Why it matters

Rhodes' observation speaks to the unpredictable and often chaotic nature of WWE's biggest annual event, where unexpected twists and turns have become a hallmark of the WrestleMania experience. This trend also reflects the company's efforts to generate buzz and excitement around its marquee matches by bringing in high-profile celebrity guests, though some fans have criticized these outside interventions as detracting from the core in-ring action.

The details

In his WrestleMania 40 main event victory over Roman Reigns to capture the Undisputed WWE Championship, Rhodes had to contend with a surprise appearance by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. The year prior, at WrestleMania 39, rapper Travis Scott made a surprise entrance during Rhodes' title match against John Cena. And now, for his upcoming WrestleMania 42 defense against Randy Orton, Rhodes will have to deal with the presence of Pat McAfee, who has been revealed as Orton's mystery ally.

  • At WrestleMania 40, The Rock interfered in Rhodes' title match against Roman Reigns.
  • At WrestleMania 39, Travis Scott appeared during Rhodes' title bout against John Cena.
  • At WrestleMania 42, Pat McAfee will be in Randy Orton's corner to face Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship.

The players

Cody Rhodes

The current Undisputed WWE Champion, who has noticed a trend of outside interference in his WrestleMania main event matches.

The Rock

The legendary WWE Superstar who made a surprise appearance at WrestleMania 40, interfering in Rhodes' title match against Roman Reigns.

Travis Scott

The popular rapper who unexpectedly appeared during Rhodes' WrestleMania 39 title bout against John Cena.

Pat McAfee

The former NFL player and current WWE commentator, who has been revealed as Randy Orton's mystery ally for their upcoming WrestleMania 42 title match against Rhodes.

Randy Orton

The veteran WWE Superstar who will challenge Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania 42, with Pat McAfee in his corner.

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What they’re saying

“I feel bad pointing this out, but the first WrestleMania main event, well three years, there's involvement outside of me vs. Roman Reigns straight up. The 'Final Boss' enters the fray. That becomes a situation. Last year, WrestleMania, me vs. John Cena, there's outside involvement again. Travis Scott enters the fray. That's a whole other situation. That's what I do. Being a Cody Rhodes fan at WrestleMania season is a choice. It's an experience. We're going to have people who want to drop in and, hey, it's interesting.”

— Cody Rhodes, Undisputed WWE Champion

What’s next

Cody Rhodes will defend the Undisputed WWE Championship against Randy Orton at WrestleMania 42 on April 6, 2026, with Pat McAfee serving as Orton's mystery ally.

The takeaway

Cody Rhodes' observation about the trend of outside interference in his WrestleMania main events highlights the unpredictable and often chaotic nature of WWE's biggest annual event. While these surprise appearances from high-profile figures like The Rock, Travis Scott, and now Pat McAfee may generate buzz, some fans feel they detract from the core in-ring action and the wrestlers' own storylines. As Rhodes prepares to defend his title against Randy Orton at WrestleMania 42, he'll have to navigate yet another unexpected twist in the form of McAfee's involvement.