As PWMania.com previously reported, WWE WrestleMania 42 is just over two months away, and so far, only one match has been confirmed for The Show of Shows. CM Punk will defend his World Heavyweight Title against Roman Reigns, the winner of the 2026 Men’s Royal Rumble.
Recently, reports have emerged about WWE altering its plans for WrestleMania due to disappointing ticket sales.
In the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer noted that the entire WrestleMania card, except for Punk vs. Reigns, which had been internally outlined prior to the Royal Rumble, is subject to change. Meltzer also indicated that Punk vs. Reigns is expected to headline Night Two of WrestleMania 42, while the plan for Night One’s main event appears to be Drew McIntyre vs. Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship.
Additionally, Meltzer mentioned that Rhodes’ path to WrestleMania may not be straightforward. WWE is maintaining the narrative of “Sami Zayn’s story of never beating McIntyre” while also incorporating Jacob Fatu into the storyline. Although a Triple Threat Match at WrestleMania cannot be dismissed, the current idea is that two of the three contenders will likely be eliminated from contention soon.
Meltzer further noted that the creative team is working to avoid predictability in the buildup to the Undisputed WWE Championship match, especially considering that Rhodes and McIntyre have already faced off in one-on-one matches at WrestlePalooza and Saturday Night’s Main Event, in addition to having a brutal Three Stages of Hell Match on SmackDown last month.
