Dave Meltzer: WWE 'Backed Off' Pat McAfee Storyline After Negative Fan Reaction

Another WWE WrestleMania season has concluded and now it's on to the fallout of the two-night event. One person already affected is Pat McAfee. When it was revealed that McAfee was the person Randy Orton had been talking to for weeks, many fans were confused and let down, and the backlash was immediate. Even with McAfee seemingly giving away the match result when he said that if Orton lost, McAfee would leave WWE TV forever, the reaction reportedly forced the winner of the match to be changed.

During an episode of "Wrestling Observer Radio," Dave Meltzer said he was under the impression that they killed the angle with McAfee because while he was getting heat, it was the wrong kind. "The one thing I did hear was ... [that] it was forced on the people so [WWE] backed off," Meltzer stated. 

Meltzer came to the conclusion that WWE merely wanted to use McAfee's mainstream recognition to build publicity for WrestleMania. He also discussed the previously-rumored match involving Rhodes, Orton, McAfee, and Jelly Roll at WWE Backlash.

"Jelly Roll was there and did his thing, but he wasn't there for the finish. There was nothing there that led me to believe there was going to be a tag match."

Prior to WrestleMania, it was reported that Orton was "hurting" although it's unclear how severe it is and if that played into the outcome of Night One's end. Rhodes was also injured during the match with his eye swollen shut and his in-ring return is questionable. A fan event with Rhodes was canceled on Sunday morning. 

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Wrestling Observer Radio" and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.