Reports: Original scrapped plans for Randy Orton at WWE WrestleMania 42
At WWE WrestleMania 42, Randy Orton paired up with Pat McAfee to take on Cody Rhodes; however, such was not always the plan.
According to a recent report from PWInsider, the original pitch for Randy Orton’s WWE WrestleMania 42 story involved Aleister Black. Black was originally planned to be in McAfee’s spot.
“The role would have involved Aleister Black tormenting Orton, trying to bring out the old Apex Predator version of Orton. The idea was that if Black succeeded, it would prove Orton had never changed or evolved and was still the old Orton deep inside,” the report from PWInsider read.
The report noted plans for Black and Orton to face off during WrestleMania weekend, where Orton would hesitate on the Punt Kick and likely lose. He would later attack Rhodes, using the Punt kick to revive his “Apex Predator” persona and prove Black right.
However, WWE did not move along with this story, and instead, it evolved into McAfee aligning with Orton.
Shounak Chakrabarti is an experienced sports journalist with a lifelong passion for athletics and storytelling. He holds a Master’s Degree in International Journalism from the University of Leeds and joined F4WOnline in 2025.
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