Steve Carrier on April 10, 2026
WWE is reportedly lining up a celebrity tag team match for Backlash, and the current plan includes some big names tied to the fallout from WrestleMania.
According to Dave Meltzer in the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE is planning for Randy Orton and Pat McAfee to team up against Cody Rhodes and Jelly Roll at the May 9 Backlash Premium Live Event in Tampa.
Meltzer made it clear this match is expected to come out of the WrestleMania storyline and is still the direction WWE is planning right now.
“McAfee will team with Orton against Rhodes & Jelly Roll coming out of WrestleMania and be a key match at the Backlash PPV on 5/9, at least as of plans that were confirmed to us by multiple people and were still in play at press time.”
The angle involving Orton, McAfee, and Rhodes is set to continue on SmackDown from San Jose. WWE has already advertised that Rhodes will respond to McAfee on the show, while McAfee has teased that he’ll have a massive surprise announcement.
There are also reports that more twists could happen before WrestleMania wraps up, which could shape how this rumored Backlash match finally comes together.
If WWE sticks with this plan, the celebrity involvement could make this one of the most talked-about matches on the Backlash card.
Do you like the idea of Orton and McAfee teaming up against Rhodes and Jelly Roll, or would you rather see WWE go in a different direction? Drop your thoughts and feedback below.
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