The main event picture for WrestleMania 42 has undergone a significant creative transformation in recent weeks. While Cody Rhodes is now officially scheduled to defend the Undisputed WWE Championship against his former mentor, Randy Orton, the original blueprint for the Las Vegas spectacle featured a much more violent iteration of a different rivalry.
Original Plans Featured Rhodes vs. McIntyre Inside Hell in a Cell
According to reports from PWInsider, the initial plan for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 42 was for Drew McIntyre to defend the title against Cody Rhodes. Furthermore, the match was slated to take place inside the unforgiving Hell in a Cell structure, serving as the definitive conclusion to their long-standing animosity.
However, the creative direction shifted as the company approached the Elimination Chamber event. Wrestling Observer Radio reports that WWE officials decided to pivot toward Randy Orton versus Cody Rhodes around the time Orton began vocalizing his intention to break John Cena’s historic record of 17 world championship reigns. The “Legacy” connection between the two men was viewed as a more compelling and fresh narrative for the marquee event in Las Vegas.
To facilitate the change, Rhodes recaptured the championship from McIntyre on the March 6 episode of Friday Night SmackDown, while Orton secured his title shot by winning the Men’s Elimination Chamber in Chicago. The sudden pivot has left McIntyre’s WrestleMania status in flux. Current television storylines suggest the “Scottish Warrior” may be headed for a collision with the dangerous Jacob Fatu, though speculation remains that management could still alter the card once more to include McIntyre in the championship match, potentially creating a massive Triple Threat encounter.