‘People Are Talking’ – Triple H Addresses Pat McAfee WWE WrestleMania 42 Involvement Controversy

Published: Apr 17, 2026 by Dave Adamson | Last Updated: Apr 17, 2026 by Dave Adamson

Dave has been a website writer for WrestleTalk since October 2022, having previously written for Den of Geek, among a number of wrestling, movie and television-related sites. Dave has been around the independent wrestling scene for more than a decade, including behind-the-scenes.

‘People Are Talking’ – Triple H Addresses Pat McAfee WWE WrestleMania 42 Involvement Controversy

It’s been a divisive addition to a WWE WrestleMania 42 main event story, but Pat McAfee has been a positive, suggests Triple H.

Siding with Randy Orton after being revealed as the voice on the phone, Pat McAfee will be in his corner at WrestleMania 42 against Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes.

The inclusion was described as “the worst received thing in wrestling”, according to Cody Rhodes, but Triple H had a different take on McAfee’s role.

Speaking on ESPN’s First Take, Triple H noted that McAfee has got people talking, hinting at what’s to come, saying:

“There’s something on the horizon for this for sure. When you run your mouth as much as Pat does, eventually somebody is gonna try to shut it.

“Really as a WWE fan, what I’m really looking forward to is that moment, mentor, student, Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton locking up over that WWE Championship. It’s just a moment that transcends a couple of generations to me, and that’s what’s really cool about it.

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Triple H was then asked about the controversy and fan pressure surrounding McAfee’s involvement in the Orton vs. Rhodes angle, saying:

“It’s always pressure, but talk is good. People are talking, and that is a good thing. Pat, love him or hate him, Pat makes people talk, and I think that’s what’s important here.

“This is gonna be an amazing show, this will be incredible, and it will deliver on all levels.”

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McAfee has stated that he will leave forever if Randy Orton loses, with additional reporting noting that the pair are currently planned to team up against Cody Rhodes & Jelly Roll at WWE Backlash.

Pat McAfee: “Love Him Or Hate Him”

The fans did love Pat McAfee at one point. Well, maybe not all of them, but a good proportion. Hearing his enthusiasm on commentary was a joy, and when he stepped into the ring, he aimed to entertain.

This latest run, however, has seen reports that TKO CEO Ari Emanuel was involved in inserting McAfee into WWE creative decisions, with CM Punk addressing this during a recent promo on Raw.

Further to this, it looks like McAfee wasn’t overly enthusiastic towards the initial overtures to get him involved, with a past report noting his return nearly didn’t happen as “they couldn’t come to an agreement”.

Regardless of how McAfee’s story is perceived, he’s going to be in Randy Orton’s corner at WrestleMania 42, with the fallout from the April 18 match still be felt.

If nothing else, WWE creative has demonstrated the ability to pivot in unexpected directions when circumstances require it. We’ve seen this with the injuries that have sidelined stars, leading to a change of direction ahead of this weekend’s premium live event, and there’s the opportunity for the McAfee situation to become something fans don’t anticipate.

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