The first bout for WrestleMania 42 was confirmed this week when Roman Reigns selected CM Punk as his rival during a tense segment on WWE Raw. Reigns appeared in the main event of Monday’s show to address his victory in the men’s Royal Rumble on Saturday and revealed who he intends to face at the upcoming WrestleMania event in April at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Heated Exchanges Highlight Rivalry Between Reigns and Punk
Reigns began by reflecting on his history in Philadelphia, including winning his first Royal Rumble there, and invited fan input on his WrestleMania opponent. CM Punk interrupted, pointing out that while Drew McIntyre had drawn boos, the crowd clearly wanted to see Reigns face Punk. Punk expressed surprise that Reigns might choose McIntyre, whom Punk considers an easier challenge.
The two then traded verbal jabs about McIntyre’s ongoing feud with Punk. Punk questioned how many of Reigns’ cousins were involved in his previous victories over McIntyre, while Reigns insisted that his family provided Punk a place to return to. Punk criticized Reigns for manipulating people during his championship reign and for being a part-time wrestler. He accused Reigns of following in his footsteps with a longer career but failing to surpass him, and claimed he was the one who brought The Shield to prominence. Punk challenged Reigns by stating Reigns could beat McIntyre but not Punk at his best.
Reigns responded sharply, recalling Punk’s decade-long absence from wrestling and claiming Punk only taught him what not to do. Reigns mentioned WWE’s request for Punk to return, acknowledging it was a favor to Paul Heyman. He criticized Punk for statements made on Colt Cabana’s podcast, saying they complicated things and for attempting to manipulate Heyman after his return. Reigns declared he chose Punk because of their long-standing animosity, insisting that Punk will face the truth about him at WrestleMania.
First Match Set to Take Place at WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas
This announcement officially sets the first confirmed match for WrestleMania 42, scheduled for April 18th and 19th at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. With tensions running high between Reigns and Punk, their clash promises to be a key highlight of WWE’s biggest annual event, drawing attention from fans eager to see how the rivalry evolves in the ring.
