When WWE Decided on WrestleMania WWE Title Shakeup Revealed

The road to WrestleMania 42 may have taken a sharp turn behind the scenes — and two of WWE’s biggest stars reportedly didn’t know about it until very recently.

For weeks, signs have been pointing toward a WrestleMania main event involving Randy Orton and the Undisputed WWE Championship. Orton secured a title opportunity after winning the Elimination Chamber match, and Cody Rhodes is now set to challenge Drew McIntyre for the championship on this week’s episode of SmackDown.

According to Bodyslam, the idea of Orton challenging Rhodes at WrestleMania has actually been in discussion for quite some time. Sources told the outlet that internal talks about pivoting to Randy Orton vs. Cody Rhodes began around the beginning of February as WWE started mapping out its WrestleMania season plans.

The goal was reportedly to shake up expectations and deliver a payoff to storyline teases between the two stars that have been building for years.

However, the timing of when the talent themselves learned about the direction may surprise some fans. According to the report, Rhodes and McIntyre weren’t informed about the creative shift until last week.

That timing comes as WWE prepares for a major championship match this Friday on SmackDown, where Rhodes will challenge McIntyre for the Undisputed WWE Championship. If Rhodes wins the title, the result would line up directly with the rumored WrestleMania 42 direction.

Randy Orton already secured his title opportunity at Elimination Chamber, meaning the pieces appear to be falling into place for a high-profile clash between the longtime rivals on WWE’s biggest stage of the year. With WrestleMania season now entering its final stretch, Friday’s SmackDown could play a huge role in determining whether the reported plan becomes reality.

Do you think Cody Rhodes vs Randy Orton is the right main event direction for WrestleMania 42, or should Drew McIntyre have remained part of the title picture? Let us know what you think in the comments.