WWE President Nick Khan is not concerned about the online reaction to the build-up to WrestleMania 42, and he made that clear two nights before the show.
Speaking to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Khan pushed back on the mixed fan sentiment surrounding both main event storylines and said the internal read on where things are heading looks very different from what critics have been saying.
"Let's see the reaction when the show is done," Khan said. "I think a lot of times with WWE storylines, they take a moment to develop. We have the good fortune when we're on the inside of knowing where we're going. If you look at the two main events, there is real heat there and when the storylines are blurred between reality and pre-determined outcomes in WWE, we think that always delivers, and with the Randy Orton vs. Cody Rhodes, especially with the addition of Pat McAfee, we think both will overdeliver. Let's see."
Khan singling out McAfee is deliberate. The ESPN personality's heel turn as Orton's mystery caller has been the most polarizing element of the WrestleMania 42 build, with Rhodes himself telling the SI Media podcast it was "the most ill-received thing in the history of wrestling."
Rhodes defends the Undisputed WWE Championship against Orton in the Night One main event on Saturday, April 18. Orton is pursuing his 15th world title, which would tie Ric Flair for second-most in WWE history.
Night Two on Sunday, April 19 is headlined by CM Punk defending the World Heavyweight Championship against Roman Reigns, a match built on years of documented real animosity between the two.
Both nights stream live from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, with the opening hour airing on ESPN2 on Saturday and ESPN on Sunday before the full show moves to ESPN Unlimited.
