McAfee Wins WWE Title After Defeating Punk and Laying Out Jelly Roll

Pat McAfee made a notable return to WWE SmackDown on April 10, introducing what he claimed to be a “massive surprise.” The segment centered around a confrontation with musician Jelly Roll and a heated exchange with WWE Champion Cody Rhodes.

McAfee’s Bold Statements

During his time in the ring, McAfee responded to CM Punk’s apology to Saudi Arabia, branding him a fraud. He asserted that WWE is home to entertaining moments, highlighting the recent preparations for WrestleMania Saturday. Ticket prices for the event, which features Randy Orton versus Cody Rhodes, were announced to be discounted by 25% until the end of Raw on Monday.

Confrontation with Cody Rhodes

Cody Rhodes interrupted McAfee’s segment after being informed by GM Nick Aldis that he could not touch McAfee. Rhodes challenged McAfee’s views, especially regarding Orton’s supposed representation of the Attitude Era. He pointedly remarked that while McAfee enjoys WWE programming, fans want to see Randy Orton, not him. The crowd echoed this sentiment, chanting for McAfee to leave.

Promises and Threats

• McAfee insisted that he would not return if Orton does not win at WrestleMania 42.
• He controversially referred to Rhodes as “elite runaway” and suggested he was too close to WWE executive Paul Levesque.

As tensions escalated, McAfee’s comments nearly provoked an angry reaction from Rhodes. The situation intensified when they discovered Jelly Roll injured backstage. Orton, alongside Jelly Roll, made a dramatic entrance to the ring, leading to a chaotic exchange, effectively shifting the momentum of the storyline.

WrestleMania 42 Stakes

In a surprising twist, McAfee ended the segment by stealing Rhodes’ WWE Championship, solidifying his role in the WrestleMania 42 main event narrative. Fans can catch McAfee at WrestleMania Saturday with the promotional discount applied, underscoring the heightened stakes of this ongoing rivalry. This surprising turn of events has left fans eager for what lies ahead in the WWE landscape.