Plans for WrestleMania 42 almost looked very different behind the scenes, as an early creative pitch reveals a scrapped direction involving Aleister Black and Randy Orton.

PWisnider reports a concept discussed back in January reportedly centered on Black psychologically targeting Orton, pushing him to tap back into his ruthless Apex Predator persona. The core idea was simple but layered, if Black could force that darker side out, it would expose that Orton had never truly changed and that his more dangerous instincts were always just beneath the surface.

The original direction was said to build toward a WrestleMania weekend clash between the two. In that version, Orton would show hesitation when it came time to deliver his signature punt kick, ultimately costing him the match. That moment of doubt would then spiral into something bigger, with Orton later snapping and attacking Cody Rhodes using the very move he initially resisted. The follow up angle would have reinforced Black’s claim that the Apex Predator never really disappeared.

While it is unclear how far this idea made it internally, elements of the pitch still found their way onto television. Orton’s return to a more vicious edge and his punt to Rhodes at WrestleMania mirrored key aspects of the scrapped storyline, even though Pat McAfee ultimately took a central role in the version that aired.

Instead, Black’s WrestleMania week appearance came in a different form, as he competed in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal on SmackDown rather than being positioned in a marquee rivalry with Orton.