Backstage News On Pat McAfee Joining WWE WrestleMania Storyline Alongside Randy Orton

On this week's episode of "WWE SmackDown," "The Viper" Randy Orton revealed who the mysterious recipient was to his phone call last week: Pat McAfee. Since McAfee's surprise return, PWInsider Elite and BodySlam have reported some details on how the storyline came about.

According to both outlets, the idea to have McAfee step in and support Orton was not created on the drawing board in WWE's creative office with Triple H at the helm. Rather, it was a call from higher up, possibly straight from TKO CEO and Executive Chairman Ari Emanuel. Sources indicated that Emanuel believes McAfee is a star, and will help elevate the waging war between "The Legend Killer" and "The American Nightmare." The hope is to have these two featured on McAfee's talk show, drawing more eyes (especially from ESPN viewers) to this showcase, as well as the rest of WrestleMania 42. TKO believes the more mainstream names participating or advertising the shows on April 18 and 19, the more ticket sales it will generate.

If he didn't think he added more fuel to the fire on Friday's show, McAfee immediately posted on social media an ultimatum that could forever change the trajectory of his career, and that's he'll leave if Orton does not win on "The Grandest Stage of Them All." Later that evening, Rhodes stormed back into the ring to declare that he has voices in his head, too, and he doesn't think Orton wants to know what they're telling him to do to secure the victory in two weeks. Orton's goal walking out of Las Vegas is to become a 15-time World Champion.