Key Backstage Names Linked To Randy Orton’s Mystery Phone Reveal

The names behind Randy Orton’s mystery phone reveal are now out, and it turns out some big WWE producers were responsible for putting the segment together.

According to PWInsider, Pat McAfee was kept hidden before the opening segment of SmackDown so the surprise wouldn’t leak. Most people backstage reportedly didn’t even know he was going to be revealed.

The same report named the people who handled the segment behind the scenes.

“According to several talents we spoke with today, Pat McAfee was hidden before the first segment on Smackdown and no one seemed to be aware he was going to be revealed. Michael Hayes and Bobby Roode produced the segment while writer Christian Scovell was internally listed as well.”

That explains how WWE managed to keep the reveal quiet after weeks of speculation about who Randy Orton had been talking to on the phone.

For weeks, WWE teased Orton having private phone conversations, with fans guessing it could be someone major behind the scenes. Some even thought names like Vince McMahon or The Rock could be involved before WWE went in a different direction.

The reveal finally happened during the April 3 episode of SmackDown in St. Louis. Orton called out Cody Rhodes, and the two started fighting in the ring. That’s when Pat McAfee showed up from behind and hit Rhodes with a low blow. Orton followed it up with several chair shots, leaving Rhodes laid out as McAfee stood beside him, officially revealing their alliance.

With Hayes and Roode now confirmed as the producers, it’s clear the segment was carefully planned to keep McAfee hidden and make the moment hit as a surprise.