More insight has surfaced regarding how Pat McAfee ultimately found his way back into WWE programming, with new details shedding light on the behind the scenes process that led to his involvement in the WrestleMania 42 storyline.

During a recent discussion on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer explained that McAfee was originally handpicked by TKO executive Ari Emanuel as the preferred celebrity to be part of the main event build between Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton. However, the situation was not as straightforward as it may have seemed on television.

According to Meltzer, McAfee initially passed on the opportunity, forcing WWE to quickly explore alternative options before eventually circling back and finalizing a deal that brought him into the fold just in time for his shocking appearance.

“Pat McAfee was the first choice, and it was from Ari Emanuel, that’s where it came from,” Meltzer said. “They wanted celebrity involvement……Originally, Pat McAfee was the choice, and he turned it down, and then they were scrambling to get somebody else in the spot. And then obviously, they were able to make a deal with him, so he did it, and he was there.”

McAfee’s return played out on the April 3 episode of SmackDown, where he made an immediate impact by attacking Cody Rhodes and aligning himself with Randy Orton. The segment added a major twist to the WrestleMania main event build, with McAfee boldly claiming that he and Orton were there to “save the business.”

The report also reinforces that the push to include a celebrity figure in the storyline came from the corporate side under TKO, rather than WWE’s creative leadership. That decision reportedly caught some within the company off guard, with internal reactions said to be mixed regarding the direction.

Adding further intrigue, McAfee has already put his own future on the line. He has stated publicly that if Randy Orton fails to capture the Undisputed WWE Championship, he will walk away from wrestling television entirely. That stipulation has fueled speculation that Orton could be poised to leave WrestleMania 42 with another world title reign added to his legacy.

The championship clash between Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton is set to headline Night 1 of WrestleMania 42 on April 18 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.